âTerror belli⊠decus pacis.â Terror in war⊠ornament in peace. The words inscribed on every French Marshalâs
baton. In France, the title of Marshal, or Maréchal,
goes back at least to the 13th century. It represents the highest possible position
of military authority â authority symbolised by a marshalâs baton. The title was abolished during the French
Revolution, as incompatible with the egalitarian spirit of the age. But in 1804, Napoleon founded a new empire,
and restored the ancient rank. That year he picked 18 of Franceâs best
generals, and made them âMarshals of the Empireâ. Eight more were created in the years that
followed. The Marshals outranked everyone in the new
empire apart from Napoleonâs family, princes and ministers of state. They came from every background: sons of aristocrats,
and inn-keepers, professional soldiers, and those whoâd learned on the job; old school
republicans, and Bonaparte loyalists; the youngest⊠just half the age of the oldest. And though Marshal was a civil title, not
strictly a military rank, the men known to the army as Les Gros Bonnets, âthe big hatsâ,
were arguably the most extraordinary, diverse, brilliant and flawed group of military commanders
in history. The most favoured were showered with titles
and wealth. But the price, too, was high: half were wounded,
three were killed or died of wounds, two were executed. This is Epic History TVâs guide to Napoleonâs
Marshals. All 26 have been ranked according to our own
evaluation of their achievements as Marshals, with expert guidance from retired Lieutenant
Colonel RĂ©my Porte, former chief historian of the French Army. Weâre delighted to welcome back as our video
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sponsoring this video. More than 2,000 French generals served in
the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Many were brilliant leaders. A few probably deserved to be Marshals more
than some who were. Any selection can only be difficult and highly
subjective, but hereâs our pick of twelve of the best: Bertrand, Napoleonâs faithful aide-de-camp,
who commanded Fourth Corps at the Battle of Leipzig. Clauzel, a veteran commander of the war in
Spain. Desaix, Napoleonâs close friend killed at
Marengo aged 31. Prince EugĂšne, Napoleonâs adopted son,
a hero of the Russian retreat. GĂ©rard, one of Napoleonâs best corps commanders
by 1814, made a Marshal by King Louis-Philippe in 1830. Gudin, whose infantry division bore the brunt
of the fighting at Auerstedt in 1806; died of wounds near Smolensk in 1812. Junot, who first served with Napoleon at Toulon
in 1793; probably committed suicide after his fall from favour in 1813. Lasalle, the âHussar Generalâ, among the
best light cavalry commanders of the Napoleonic Wars, killed at Wagram aged 34. Maison, who told his division on the morning
of Leipzig, that they must win that day or all be killed, made Marshal by King Charles
the Tenth in 1829. Nansouty, the heavy cavalry commander, who
died of wounds and exhaustion, aged 46. Saint-Hilaire, hero of Austerlitz, died of
wounds received at Aspern in 1809. Vandamme, of whom Napoleon once said, âIf
I had to invade Hell, Iâd want him commanding the vanguard.â And now, Napoleonâs 26 marshals, ranked
in order of merit. 26. Marshal PĂ©rignon. When Napoleon created the first 18 Marshals,
four were âHonorary Marshalsâ, recognised for past service to France. PĂ©rignon was one of these. A former officer in the royal army, heâd
won fame in the Revolutionary Wars, fighting the Spanish on the Pyrenees front. He later served as ambassador to Spain. After a brief retirement, he was sent to Italy,
and commanded the French left wing at the disastrous Battle of Novi, where the army
was routed by Suvorovâs Russians, and PĂ©rignon was badly wounded and captured. His appointment as Honorary Marshal in 1804
was a political move by Napoleon â a way to win acceptance for his new empire, by emphasising
continuity with the Revolution, by rewarding its military heroes. PĂ©rignon never held active command as a Marshal,
but served as governor of Parma, and later Naples. His eldest son Pierre was a cavalry officer,
killed at Friedland in 1807. PĂ©rignon retired in 1813, but refused to
support Napoleon when he returned from exile in 1815, and was stripped of his Marshalsâ
baton. His rank was later restored by King Louis
the Eighteenth. 25. Marshal Brune Brune was another Marshal whose appointment
owed much to politics. As a fiery republican, and former close ally
of Revolutionary leader Georges Danton, his support was politically useful for Napoleon. Brune joined the army during the Terror â the
most extreme period of the Revolution. His political connections ensured rapid promotion,
and he was sent to help put down a counter-revolutionary revolt in Bordeaux. In 1795, as a 30-year-old brigadier general,
he helped Napoleon disperse a royalist mob in Paris, with the famous âwhiff of grapeshotâ. Brune then served with Napoleon in Italy,
fighting in several of his famous early victories. He won a reputation as a fierce divisional
commander, and enthusiastic plunderer of Italian towns and churches. In 1798, he commanded the French occupation
of Switzerland, while extorting 200,000 francs from the wealthy Swiss communes, the equivalent
of several million dollars today. It was said that Bruneâs personal carriage
was so laden with gold when it left Switzerland, that it immediately broke down The next year he won his most important victory
while commanding French forces in Holland, defeating an Anglo-Russian army at the Battle
of Castricum, and saving France from invasion. But a short, calamitous spell commanding the
Army of Italy convinced Napoleon that Brune was not fit for high command. Instead he sent him to be ambassador to the
Ottoman Empire â where in 1804 he learned that heâd been made a Marshal. But Bruneâs lack of delicacy, combined with
a towering sense of self-importance, did not make him a successful diplomat. He was recalled to France, but as Governor
of the Hanseatic Ports, blundered again, drafting a treaty with Sweden that failed to make any
mention of the French Emperor. Whether a deliberate insult or act of incompetence,
Napoleon was furious, and Brune was sacked. Brune spent the next seven years at his country
estate. He bitterly opposed the return of the Bourbon
monarchy in 1814, and rallied to Napoleon when he returned from exile the next year. But in the tumult following Napoleonâs defeat
at Waterloo, Brune was cornered by a royalist mob in Avignon, murdered, and tossed into
the River RhĂŽne. 24. Marshal SĂ©rurier SĂ©rurier was another of the four Honorary
Marshals, whom Napoleon wished to recognise for past service. In contrast to Brune, SĂ©rurier was a professional
soldier of the old school, a veteran of the Seven Yearsâ War, and a stern disciplinarian. This background was not necessarily an asset
during the French Revolution, when any officer whoâd served in the royal army was viewed
with suspicion. But Colonel SĂ©rurierâs training and diligence
were soon recognised as assets to the new French republic. By 1795 he was a general serving with Napoleon
in Italy, where his stand against corruption and looting won him the nickname âthe Virgin
of Italyâ. SĂ©rurier was a reliable if unspectacular
commander, who won an important victory at Mondovi, at a crucial moment in Napoleonâs
rise to fame. The following year, he accepted the Austrian
surrender at the end of the long siege of Mantua. Two years later, fighting under General Moreauâs
command, SĂ©rurier and his division were cut off by the Russians, and forced to surrender. Released on parole, he was back in Paris in
time to support Napoleonâs coup dâĂȘtat of 18 Brumaire. SĂ©rurier then retired from active command,
but Napoleon, remembering his past service, made him an Honorary Marshal, and Governor
of Les Invalides, the retirement home and hospital for old soldiers. There, shortly before the fall of Paris in
1814, SĂ©rurier oversaw the burning of more than a thousand captured flags and standards,
to prevent them falling into Allied hands. 23. Marshal Kellermann Kellermann was another Honorary Marshal, the
oldest at 68, and famed throughout France as the âSaviour of the Revolutionâ. A career soldier from a middle-class background,
heâd seen distinguished service as a cavalry officer in the Seven Years War. At the beginning of the Revolutionary Wars,
he was a general commanding a frontier army at the moment of greatest crisis â when
it seemed foreign invasion was about to stamp out the Revolution, and restore the ancien
rĂ©gime. But at Valmy, in September 1792, Kellermannâs
Army of the Centre stood its ground, and with a ferocious artillery barrage, persuaded the
Prussian army to withdraw. Valmy was not a stunning tactical victory,
but it was a turning point of history, that saved the infant French republic. When the Revolution took a more radical turn,
even a war hero like Kellermann became suspected of royalist links, and spent a year in prison
under the threat of the guillotine. Acquitted and restored to command, he was
poised to launch a new offensive in Italy, when he was side-lined, first by General Schérer,
then in favour of a rising new talent, General Bonaparte. Kellermann later specialised in army administration
and training, a role he continued to perform under Napoleon, whilst also entering politics
and serving as president of the Senate. His son, General François Ătienne Kellermann,
followed in his fatherâs footsteps, serving as one of Napoleonâs best cavalry commanders. 22. Marshal Grouchy When Napoleon returned from his first exile
in 1815, he created one last Marshal for the upcoming campaign â Emmanuel de Grouchy. Although now infamous for failing to march
to Napoleonâs aid during the Battle of Waterloo, up to that moment, Grouchy had had a long
and distinguished military career. An aristocrat who embraced the French Revolution,
Grouchy served with distinction throughout the Revolutionary Wars, fighting counter-revolutionaries
in the Vendée, and serving in Italy, where he was
wounded and captured at the Battle of Novi. Under the Empire, Grouchy excelled as commander
of a dragoon division in Marshal Muratâs Cavalry Reserve. He was praised by the Emperor for his part
in the great French charge at Eylau⊠played an important role buying time for Napoleon
at Friedland⊠and expertly covered the French right wing at Wagram. For the invasion of Russia, he commanded Third
Cavalry Corps, and was wounded at Borodino. He survived the horrors of the retreat, but
was left so exhausted it took him several months to recover. He returned for Napoleonâs 1814 campaign
in France, and was wounded twice more. Grouchy was made a Marshal at the start of
the Hundred Days campaign, and commanded Napoleonâs right wing at Ligny. After the battle was won, he was ordered to
pursue the retreating Prussians, to prevent them joining up with Wellingtonâs Anglo-Allied
army. Two days later, as the Battle of Waterloo
raged 10 miles to the west, Grouchy made the fateful decision to follow his written orders,
rather than march to join Napoleon â and has been widely blamed for the French Emperorâs
defeat ever since. Grouchyâs vilification is not wholly fair,
not least because Napoleon rarely encouraged his Marshals to show initiative, and often
flew into rages if they deviated from his written orders. Nor should one blunder obscure the distinguished
record of one of the Grande ArmĂ©eâs best cavalry generals. Grouchy fled to America after Napoleonâs
defeat to escape royalist reprisals, but was pardoned and returned to France in 1820. 21. Marshal Moncey Moncey ran away from home to join the army
at the age of 15. After 20 years of uneventful service, heâd
risen no higher than the rank of Captain. But then came the French Revolution. Most French officers were aristocrats, who,
if they did not actively oppose the Revolution, were nevertheless regarded as politically
suspect. The result was that three-quarters of them
either fled the country or were dismissed from the army. Moncey â a middle-class officer with no
strong political views â reaped the benefit, with meteoric promotion. By 1794, General Moncey was leading the Army
of the Western Pyrenees to victory over the Spanish, on what was, admittedly, a relative
backwater of the Revolutionary Wars. In 1797 he was dismissed for alleged royalist
sympathies, but reinstated in time to support Napoleonâs coup of 18 Brumaire. By his own admission, Moncey was a sensitive
officer â honest, honourable, but lacking a ruthless streak or iron will to succeed. Napoleon was aware of his limitations as a
general, but made him a Marshal in 1804, as part of his emphasis on continuity between
the republic and his new empire. Moncey was appointed inspector-general of
the gendarmerie â Franceâs militarised police force - and spent most of the rest
of his career commanding reserve troops. He only held one field command again â in
light of his victorious record against the Spanish, he was given command of a corps for
the 1808 invasion of Spain, operating in the south of the country with mixed success. In 1809 he was replaced by General Junot and
returned to France. Monceyâs finest hour came in the dying days
of the empire, leading the National Guard of Paris in a courageous but doomed defence
of the French capital. In 1815 the restored King of France, Louis
the Eighteenth, ordered Marshal Moncey to preside at the trial of Marshal Ney, for treason. Moncey regarded Ney as a hero for having saved
so many French lives in Russia, and refused, declaring âIf I am not allowed to save my
country, nor my own life, then at least I will save my honour.â After a short spell in prison, Moncey was
allowed to resume his military career, becoming governor of Les Invalides, in which role he
presided over the repatriation of Napoleonâs remains from Saint-Helena in 1840. At the end of the ceremony, the 86 year-old
Marshal Moncey announced: âAnd now, let us go home to dieâ. 20. Marshal Poniatowski Prince JĂłzef Poniatowski was the King of
Polandâs nephew, but his military career began as a cavalry officer in the Austrian
army, even serving as aide-de-camp to Emperor Josef the Second himself. In 1789 he transferred to the Polish army
with the rank of major-general, but could not save Poland from partition by its rapacious
neighbours - Russia, Prussia and Austria. By 1795 Poland had vanished from the map,
swallowed up by its rivals. After Napoleonâs defeat of Prussia in 1806,
Poniatowski decided loyal service to the French Emperor was the best way to win Polandâs
restoration, although he never fully trusted Napoleonâs aims. Sombre, serious and brave, Poniatowski proved
an able commander of Duchy of Warsaw forces in Napoleonâs service. When war broke out with Austria in 1809, while
Napoleon advanced on Vienna, Poniatowski waged a brilliant, supporting campaign against a
larger Austrian army in Galicia. For the invasion of Russia, he commanded the
Polish Fifth Corps. He and his troops distinguished themselves
first at Smolensk, and again at Borodino, leading the attack on the right wing. Poniatowski and his corps performed heroically
throughout the campaign, motivated in part by their old animosity towards Russia. But by the end of the retreat, Fifth Corps
had been virtually destroyed. Poniatowski remained loyal to Napoleon, even
though the disaster in Russia paved the way for the Russian re-occupation of Poland. He rejoined Napoleon in Germany in 1813, and
was given command of the Polish Eighth Corps. On the eve of the Battle of Leipzig, he was
made a Marshal by Napoleon, in recognition of his service, and to inspire his Polish
troops. Poniatowski was the only non-Frenchman to
receive this honour. He and his troops fought with their usual
tenacity and skill at Leipzig, holding key villages on the southern front against the
Austrian and Prussian onslaught. At the end of the battle Poniatowski commanded
part of the rearguard. But their only escape route, a bridge over
the Elster River, was blown up too soon. Badly wounded, Poniatowski tried to escape
by riding his horse across the river. But he was swept from his saddle and drowned. He had been a Marshal for just four days. In the short term, Poniatowskiâs loyalty
to France achieved nothing, as, following Napoleonâs defeat, Russia occupied Poland
for the next century. But Poniatowskiâs legend lived on: a model
of Polish patriotism that inspired future generations. 19. Marshal Jourdan As a young French private, Jourdan saw combat
in Georgia during the American Revolutionary War. But he then caught a fever that led to his
discharge, and plagued him for the rest of his life. When the French Revolution began, he was elected
captain of his local National Guard unit, fought at the battles of Jemappes and Hondschoote,
and was rapidly promoted to general. In 1794 he made his name defeating Coalition
forces at the Battle of Fleurus. This was a crucial victory of the Revolutionary
War, which handed France control of Belgium for 20 years. It was also notable for the French armyâs
use of balloon reconnaissance â the first effective use of an aircraft in military history. Jourdan became a prominent politician under
the Directory, lending his name to a law that formalised Franceâs policy of mass conscription. As a committed republican, Jourdan refused
to support Napoleonâs coup of 18 Brumaire, but his fame as âthe victor of Fleurusâ
was enough to ensure he became a Marshal in 1804. Jourdan was on good terms with Napoleonâs
elder brother Joseph. When Joseph became King of Spain in 1808,
Jourdan went with him as his military advisor. But the situation in Spain would prove beyond
Jourdanâs military skills to solve. He faced stubborn resistance from the Spanish
and Portuguese, supported by the British â and an equally stubborn refusal to co-operate
from other French Marshals in Spain - theoretically under Jourdanâs command, but who repeatedly
ignored his orders and openly questioned his competence. Marshal Soult in Andalucia was a prime offender,
while Marshal Victorâs insubordination at the Battle of Talavera contributed directly
to the French defeat. Struck by another bout of ill health, Jourdan
went home to recover. Two years later he returned to Spain, but
at the Battle of Vitoria in 1813, he and King Joseph were outmanoeuvred and decisively beaten
by Wellington, leading to the collapse of the Bonapartist kingdom of Spain. Jourdan never held a major command again. But his twenty years of service and evident
patriotism were widely recognised and respected. He was made a peer by Napoleon, a count by
Louis the Eighteenth, and died in 1833 while serving as Governor of Les Invalides. 18. Marshal Bernadotte Bernadotte enlisted in the French royal army
aged 17, and proved a model soldier, rising to become the senior non-commissioned officer
in his regiment in just ten years. The French Revolution and active service opened
the door to rapid promotion: he was made an officer, and thanks to exemplary leadership
and courage, rose in rank from captain to general of division in a single year. Not even Napoleon rose through the ranks as
quickly. He particularly distinguished himself at Fleurus,
leading an attack that helped secure Jourdanâs famous victory. As a professional soldier and ex-sergeant
major, Bernadotte insisted on the highest standards of discipline and conduct from his
men. He even fought a duel with his own chief of
staff, whom he accused of taking a bribe. In 1797, Bernadotte was transferred to Italy,
where he served under Napoleonâs command for the first time. By this stage both men had brilliant reputations,
but despite a good first meeting, a clash of styles and jealous rivalry soon emerged
between them. Whatâs more Bernadotte had immediately got
on the wrong side of the future Marshal Berthier, Napoleonâs chief of staff, by arresting
one of his friends for insubordination. In 1798 Bernadotte married Napoleonâs ex-fiancĂ©e,
DĂ©sirĂ©e Clary. Her sister Julie was married to Napoleonâs
brother Joseph, meaning Bernadotte.. was now family. But when Napoleon asked Bernadotte to support
his coup of 18 Brumaire, he refused, though he did not actively oppose it. Napoleon suspected Bernadotte of conspiring
against him, but the Clary sisters helped to keep the peace. Throughout this period Bernadotte held key
posts, as Minister of War in 1799, Commander of the Army of the West in 1800, and Governor
of Hanover in 1804, proving highly effective in each role. That year, Napoleon made Bernadotte a Marshal,
and he commanded First Corps at the Battle of Austerlitz, playing a relatively minor
part in the Emperorâs great victory. Nevertheless, he was rewarded with the title
âPrince of Pontecorvoâ. But his relationship with Napoleon remained
difficult. In 1806, as Napoleon took on Prussia, Bernadotte
was blamed for failing to support Marshal Davout at the Battle of Auerstedt, and was
nearly court-martialled⊠though Bernadotte partly redeemed himself, with a vigorous pursuit
of the beaten Prussians. The next year he missed the Battle of Eylau,
after his orders were intercepted by the Russians, and a gunshot wound to the neck meant he also
missed the Battle of Friedland, with command of First Corps passing to General Victor. When war resumed with Austria in 1809, Bernadotte
was given command of the Ninth Saxon Corps. On the evening of the first day at the gigantic
Battle of Wagram, his troops were in heavy fighting with the Austrians â but dressed
in white, like the Austrians, they came under devastating friendly fire, panicked, and routed. The next morning Bernadotte pulled his men
back without orders, and when they later retreated again, he and the Emperor exchanged sharp
words on the battlefield. Bernadotte then issued a proclamation to the
Saxons, praising their conduct - and outraging Napoleon. Bernadotte was sent in semi-disgrace to the
Dutch coast, to oversee the defeat of a major British landing at Walcheren. But another triumphant proclamation, effectively
publicising the strength of his forces, further infuriated Napoleon. In an unlikely twist of fate, in 1810, Swedish
politicians invited Bernadotte to become Crown Prince of Sweden: the current king was old
and childless, and Bernadotte was a proven general and administrator, member of the French
imperial family, and well-regarded by Swedish army officers, who remembered his fair treatment
of Swedish prisoners three years earlier, in Pomerania. Napoleon was at first bemused, remarking that
he could think of other Marshals who were better qualified. But he did give his assent, even when Bernadotte
made it clear that as Crown Prince, he would pursue Swedish interests. He was true to his word. Three years later, with Napoleon on the ropes
after his disastrous invasion of Russia, Crown Prince Bernadotte brought Sweden into the
Sixth Coalition, and declared war on France. With his insider knowledge, he helped the
Allies to devise the âTrachenberg Planâ â a strategy for defeating Napoleon in Germany,
by avoiding battle with Napoleon himself, and targeting only his Marshals. In September Bernadotte defeated former comrades
Marshals Oudinot and Ney at Dennewitz. Five weeks later, he played a major role in
the great Allied victory at Leipzig. Bernadotteâs legacy would prove the most
lasting of any of Napoleonâs Marshals: the royal house of Bernadotte sits on the Swedish
throne to this day. Bernadotte was labelled a traitor by Napoleonâs
supporters â though not by Napoleon himself. He was unquestionably a gifted soldier and
administrator, but his personality clash, and long-running feud with the Emperor, meant
he was never a great Marshal. 17. Marshal Augereau Augereau had, by his own account, an eventful
younger life, serving at various times with the French, Russian, and Prussian armiesâŠ
deserting or being kicked out of all three in dubious circumstances. He briefly earned a living in Dresden as a
fencing master with a feared reputation as a duellist. He embraced the French Revolution, and joined
a volunteer cavalry regiment known as the German Legion, before holding various staff
and training roles, where his experience in the regular Prussian army proved valuable. Promoted to general, Augereau served in the
Eastern Pyrenees, where his flair for tactics and bold, decisive action helped win a series
of victories over the Spanish. Later serving in Italy under Napoleon, Augereau
proved a highly effective divisional commander. The future Emperorâs reports were glowing:
âStrong character, firmness, energy, has the habit of war, liked by his men and lucky.â In 1796, Augereau played a leading role in
Napoleonâs victories over the Austrians at Castiglione... and Arcole. In fact, the painting of Augereauâs heroism
at Arcole Bridge⊠long predates the more famous version by Vernet, in which Napoleon
takes centre stage, and is an even greater work of fiction. Augereauâs standing among fellow generals,
however, was damaged by an enthusiasm for looting to rival General Brune, while others
were irritated by his loud and boastful manner. Augereau was known to be a reliable republican,
and in 1797 Napoleon sent him to Paris to be the military muscle for the coup of 18
Fructidor. This was an army-backed purge of pro-royalist
politicians, threatening to restore the French monarchy. A brief spell in charge of the Army of the
Rhine demonstrated that Augereau was not suited for high command, as his unruly entourage
and obsession with plunder caused chaos at headquarters. As a republican, Augereau initially opposed
Napoleonâs seizure of political power, but soon sensed which way the wind was blowing,
and pledged support. Created a Marshal in 1804, status, wealth
and declining health served to mellow Augereauâs behaviour. He commanded Seventh Corps in the 1805 campaign,
but was held in reserve, and missed the great battles of Ulm and Austerlitz. The following year, he was in the thick of
the fighting at Jena, leading Seventh Corps against the Prussian southern flank. At Eylau in 1807, Augereau was so ill he had
to be strapped to his horse, but led Seventh Corps into battle in terrible winter conditions. Ordered to advance, his corps lost its way
in a blizzard, was mown down by Russian guns, charged and virtually destroyed. Augereau himself was hit, and crushed under
his own horse. He returned to France to recover, but was
never the same again. His energy and zeal were gone. During Napoleonâs war in Spain, he was sent
to replace Saint-Cyr as commander of the Army of Catalonia. He completed the grim, 7-month siege of Girona,
but was soon replaced by Macdonald for his lacklustre performance. In 1812, Augereau commanded depots and reinforcements
in the rear, as the Grande Armée marched to its destruction in Russia. However at Leipzig he was briefly back to
his best, inspiring his small corps of conscripts to fight for several key villages in the south,
in the face of relentless Austrian attack. In 1814 Napoleon gave Augereau command of
the Army of the RhĂŽne. But he surrendered Lyon without a fight, and
on news of Napoleonâs abdication, denounced his former Emperor as âa man who, having
sacrificed millions of victims to his cruel ambitions, has not known how to die like a
soldier.â When Napoleon returned from exile in 1815,
Augereau proclaimed his loyalty once more, but the Emperor was not interested. Augereau was stripped of his baton, and died
the next year. 16. Marshal Lefebvre François Lefebvre was a sergeant with 16
yearsâ service in the elite Gardes Françaises when the French Revolution broke out. When the Guard was disbanded, he became an
officer in the Paris National Guard, and received the first of many wounds protecting the royal
family from an angry mob. Every inch the soldier, the Revolutionary
Wars brought Lefebvre opportunity for active command and rapid promotion: in just two years
he rose from captain to general, establishing a reputation as a formidable divisional commander:
a good tactician, brave, energetic, and attentive to the needs of his men. His chief of staff, the future Marshal Soult,
acknowledged that he learned much from Lefebvreâs example. In 1799 Lefebvre commanded the Paris military
district. Not much impressed by politicians, when Napoleon
asked him to support a coup, he was all for it, declaring, âYes! Letâs throw the lawyers into the river!â In 1804 Napoleon made Lefebvre an Honorary
Marshal â honorary, because Napoleon assumed Lefebvre would prefer a quiet life in the
Senate, after a decadeâs active service with the scars to prove it. But heâd underestimated Lefebvre, who pleaded
for a frontline role⊠so the Emperor gave him command of the Imperial Guard infantry
for the Jena campaign. The next year, Lefebvre commanded the siege
of Danzig, inspiring the troops of Tenth Corps by leading one counter-attack in person. After the successful conclusion of the siege,
Napoleon awarded Lefebvre the title Duke of Danzig. Lefebvreâs record as a corps commander was
mixed â in Spain he exasperated Napoleon by twice ignoring orders. But in 1809, when Archduke Charles of Austria
launched a sudden attack on Bavaria, Lefebvreâs Bavarian Seventh Corps was crucial in slowing
the enemy advance⊠until Napoleon arrived to take charge. He was then given the difficult task of suppressing
a popular revolt in the Tyrol, led by Andreas Hofer, which he achieved despite some early
setbacks. For the invasion of Russia, Lefebvre commanded
the infantry of the Old Guard. During the retreat from Moscow, the 57-year-old
Marshal insisted on marching on foot, at the head of the Guard, all the way. At the end of the retreat, he was devastated
to learn that his son, a 27-year-old general, was among nearly 100,000 men who had not survived
the march. He had been Lefebvreâs last surviving childâŠ
of fourteen. After a year recovering from exhaustion and
grief, Lefebvre returned to lead the Old Guard one last time in the defence of France, and
was in heavy fighting at Montmirail and Montereau. But in April 1814, he was one of the Marshals
who confronted Napoleon with the reality of his position, and forced him to abdicate. Lefebvre and his wife, an ex-washerwoman turned
Duchess, were famous for their lack of airs and graces, for honest, blunt speech, and
for always helping out old comrades. When a friend commented on Lefebvreâs wealth
and titles, the Marshal invited him into the courtyard: âI'll have ten shots at you with
a musket at 30 pacesâ, he told him, âIf I miss, the whole estate is yours." When the friend declined, Lefebvre added,
"I had a thousand bullets fired at me from closer before I got all this." Lefebvre was too exhausted to take an active
role in the Waterloo campaign, though he accepted a role as a Senator under Napoleon, which
led to a brief period in disgrace when the Bourbons returned. His rank and honours were restored to him
a year before his death in 1820. 15. Marshal Mortier Ădouard Mortier was from a prosperous middle-class
background in northern France. When the French Revolution began in 1789,
he volunteered for the National Guard â a new middle-class militia charged with preserving
order, and defending against counter revolution. When war broke out with Franceâs neighbours,
Mortierâs unit was sent to the front. Standing 6 foot 4, Mortier was conspicuous
for his height and bravery, being wounded twice, and winning praise from his commander,
the future Marshal Lefebvre. In 1799, Mortier fought under General MassĂ©naâs
command at the Second Battle of Zurich, helping to defeat the Russians, and winning promotion
to the rank of general of division. Mortier then spent three years commanding
the Paris military district. His efficiency impressed the new First Consul,
Napoleon Bonaparte, who chose him for an important mission in 1803: the occupation of Hanover,
a German state belonging to the Hanoverian kings of Britain, with whom France was once
more at war. Mortier carried out this assignment with tact
and diplomacy, ensuring the occupation was unopposed. This delighted Napoleon, who rewarded him
a year later with the rank of Marshal. Following Napoleonâs victory over the Austrians
at Ulm in 1805, Mortier and his new Eighth Corps led the pursuit of the retreating RussiansâŠ
but became encircled by a much larger force at DĂŒrenstein. Mortier fought his way out of the trap with
a night-time bayonet charge: a remarkable escape, but his corps suffered heavy losses. Mortier and Eighth Corps were in a supporting
role for the Jena campaign of 1806. But the next year at Friedland, his corps
played an important role holding Napoleonâs left wing, as the Emperor inflicted a devastating
defeat on the Russians. Mortier was well liked by all, and almost
uniquely, did not engage in feuds and rivalries with the other Marshals. Oudinot was a particular friend: in East Prussia,
their party trick was to snuff out the candles with pistol-shots; they always paid generous
compensation for damage caused. In 1808, Mortier joined Napoleon for the invasion
of Spain, and commanded Fifth Corps at the brutal Siege of Zaragoza. He then helped win a series of victories over
Spanish forces, including the crushing victory at Ocaña, operating alongside another friend,
Marshal Soult. Mortier was recalled to France to organise
and train the Young Guard â a new, junior unit of the Imperial Guard, made up of the
best conscripts from each yearâs intake. Mortier led the Young Guard in Russia in 1812,
but was powerless to prevent the corpsâ destruction on that campaign - first through
exhaustion and disease on the march to Moscow; then on the retreat â where his surviving
troops were effectively sacrificed, to hold open the road at Krasny and allow the armyâs
escape. Mortier continued to command the Young Guard
during Napoleonâs campaigns in Germany and France, and was never far from the action:
at LĂŒtzen he was trapped under his wounded horse, was in heavy fighting at Leipzig, and
had his hat shot through outside Paris. In 1814, the final defence of the French capital
fell to troops under Mortier and Marmont, with support from Marshal Monceyâs National
Guard. Mortier told his men, âWe have not enough
troops to resist their large armies for long; but today, more than ever before, we are fighting
for our honour.â When Napoleon returned from exile in 1815,
he wanted Mortier to resume his customary role at the head of the Young Guard, but a
severe attack of sciatica prevented him joining the Emperor at Waterloo. Napoleon never regarded Mortier as suitable
for major, independent command, but his loyalty and conduct were always beyond reproach. He went on to serve the restored monarchy
as ambassador to Russia, and briefly, minister for war. In 1835, he was riding beside King Louis Philippe
in a public parade⊠when an assassin opened fire with a home-made, multi-barrelled gun:
the king received a minor wound, but Marshal Mortier and 17 others were killed. 14. Marshal Marmont Marmont, like Napoleon, was a trained artillery
officer, and met the future-Emperor for the first time at the Siege of Toulon, where Napoleon
made his name. They formed a friendship, and when Napoleon
was given command of the French army in Italy, he took Major Marmont with him as an aide-de-camp. Marmont distinguished himself at several of
Napoleonâs early victories in Italy, and was commanding his own artillery regiment
by the age of 23. As part of Napoleonâs inner circle, Marmont
accompanied him on his expedition to Egypt in 1798, fighting in the battles of Alexandria
and the Pyramids. Naturally, he backed Napoleonâs coup of
18 Brumaire, as Napoleon overthrew the Directory, and made himself First Consul of France. Six months later, Napoleon led an army over
the Alps into Italy. It was his artillery commander, General Marmont,
who figured out how to get the cannon through the mountain passes using man-hauled sledges. At the ensuing Battle of Marengo, Marmontâs
skilled handling of the artillery helped Napoleon to win a decisive victory over the Second
Coalition. Two years later, Marmont was made inspector-general
of artillery, working with Napoleon to implement reforms that improved firepower, mobility
and supply. Marmont was bitterly disappointed not to be
among the first Marshals created in 1804. But he was still only 29, and Napoleon assured
him that time was on his side. He was further frustrated in 1805, when his
corps was sent to guard the armyâs strategic southern flank, and so missed the great victory
at Austerlitz. The spoils of that war included Dalmatia,
which Marmont was sent to govern in 1806. Though he lived in extravagant luxury, his
reforms and infrastructure projects were so effective that even the Emperor of Austria
later admitted, âItâs a great pity that Marmont was not in Dalmatia two or three years
longer!â When war broke out with Austria again in 1809,
Marmont marched north with Eleventh Corps to join Napoleon near Vienna. But at the great Battle of Wagram, his troops
remained in reserve, while the other corps were engaged in ferocious fighting. At last an opportunity to prove himself came,
as Napoleon ordered him to pursue the retreating Austrians. But reckless over-enthusiasm nearly led to
disaster at Znaim. A week later, Napoleon created three new Marshals:
Macdonald, Oudinot and Marmont. âMacdonald for Franceâ, it was said, âOudinot
for the army; Marmont for friendship.â Napoleon then rather undermined the moment,
by telling Marmont, âBetween ourselves, youâve not yet done enough to justify my
choice.â His big chance came in 1811 when he was sent
to Spain to replace Marshal Massena. But after a promising start, and some bold
manoeuvring against the British on the Douro River, he stumbled into disaster at Salamanca:
Marmont himself was an early casualty of the battle, badly wounded by a shell burst and
carried from the field⊠as Wellington routed his army. After convalescing in France, Marmont was
back with the Grande Armée in 1813, as Napoleon battled to save his empire. He commanded Sixth Corps throughout the campaign
in Germany, fighting at LĂŒtzen, Bautzen, and Dresden. At Leipzig.. he held the northern sector with
skill and determination, making BlĂŒcherâs Prussians pay a high price for the village
of Möckern. Marmont played an important role in Napoleonâs
1814 defence of France, shadowing BlĂŒcherâs movements along the Marne River, and guarding
the road to Paris. But by now he was showing signs of exhaustion
and disillusion. At the Battle of Laon, he allowed his corps
to be surprised by the enemy, with heavy loss. Napoleonâs stinging criticism may have been
the moment that ended Marmontâs loyalty. He was the senior Marshal in Paris when the
Allies attacked on 30th March. After a dayâs fighting, and facing inevitable
defeat, he negotiated the cityâs surrender. Five days later, with Napoleon at Fontainebleau
still planning to march on Paris, Marmont marched his corps over to the Allied lines
and surrendered. Napoleon was shocked at this betrayal by one
of his oldest comrades. Heâd already been persuaded that he must
try to abdicate in favour of his three-year old son â now he accepted that he must abdicate
without conditions. Whether Marmont acted to save lives, out of
self-interest or spite, or a combination of all three, remains the subject of heated debate. We do know that he was well rewarded by the
restored Bourbon king, and never forgiven by Bonaparte loyalists. As military commander of Paris in 1830, Marmont
could not prevent the next revolution, and had to flee France. He spent the rest of his life in exile, becoming
tutor, while he was in Vienna, to Napoleonâs son the Duke of Reichstadt. He was the last of Napoleonâs Marshals to
die, in Venice, in 1852. 13. Marshal Saint-Cyr Gouvion Saint-Cyr was a gifted student, who
ran away from a miserable childhood to become an artist. A passionate republican, he embraced the French
Revolution and later volunteered for military service. Though proud and aloof by nature, his republican
politics and sharp intellect ensured he was elected captain of his company. His skill at drawing enemy positions then
got him noticed by General Custine, who gave him a job on his staff. During these turbulent early years of the
Revolution, Custine was one of several generals who was punished for his defeats... with a
trip to the guillotine. Saint-Cyrâs instinctive grasp of warfare,
brilliant planning and tactics, won him promotion from volunteer to general of division in two
years â an even more remarkable achievement as heâd had no formal military training. But his cold, analytical approach meant that
he was always a respected leader, rather than loved. After five yearsâ service with the Army
of the Rhine he was sent to Italy. At the disastrous Battle of Novi, he commanded
the French right wing, but skilfully extricated his troops from the debacle. The next year he was back on the Rhine, and
won a brilliant victory over the Austrians at Biberach. But a bitter dispute with his commander, General
Moreau, encouraged rumours that Saint-Cyr was impossible to work with. Saint-Cyr believed soldiers should not meddle
in politics, and did not support Napoleonâs seizure of power in 1799. Nor did he show much enthusiasm for Napoleonâs
decision to crown himself Emperor five years later. His political views cost him dearly: Saint-Cyr
was side-lined for several years, while less able generals were made Marshals. In 1805 he commanded French forces in central
Italy, but when he was made subordinate to Marshal Masséna, a man whom he personally
detested, he returned to Paris, even when Napoleon threatened to have him shot for desertion. In 1808 Saint-Cyr was given command of a corps
for the invasion of Spain. But his failure to take Gerona meant he was
relieved of command. Leaving in a fury before his replacement Marshal
Augereau had arrived, he was nearly court martialled again for desertion. Saint-Cyrâs military talent, however, was
not in doubt. In 1812 he was recalled for the Russia campaign,
with command of Sixth Bavarian Corps. His role was to support Marshal Oudinot in
guarding the northern flank of the French salient. When Wittgensteinâs Russians attacked at
Polotsk, Oudinot was wounded, and Saint-Cyr took over command, turning probable defeat
into a brilliant victory. For this achievement, Napoleon awarded Saint-Cyr
his Marshalâs baton. But two months later, at a Second Battle of
Polotsk, Saint-Cyr was attacked by a larger Russian army, seriously wounded in the foot,
and forced to pull back. His injury meant he missed the worst horrors
of the Russian retreat, but he contracted typhus early in 1813, and was sick for many
months. Saint-Cyr returned to the Grande Armée in
August, taking command of Fourteenth Corps and the defence of Dresden. Incredibly, this was the first and only time
that he worked directly alongside the Emperor, and both soon learned new respect for each
otherâs abilities. Saint-Cyrâs skilled defence of Dresden set
the stage for Napoleonâs great victory there later that month. But Saint-Cyr was incredulous when Napoleon
later ordered him to remain in Dresden⊠while other forces concentrated for the decisive
Battle of Leipzig, 60 miles to the west. Napoleonâs defeat at Leipzig meant that
Saint-Cyr, and other garrisons in the east, were cut-off, and had to surrender that autumn. Saint-Cyr took no part in the Hundred Days,
determined to keep out of Franceâs political disputes. Under the restored monarchy, he served as
Minister of War, and tried but failed to save Marshal Ney from the death penalty. He also struggled to enact military reforms
in the face of royalist opposition, eventually resigning in disgust, and retiring to his
country estate. Marshal Saint-Cyr remains one of the great
âwhat-ifsâ of the Napoleonic Wars â an extremely able commander, side-lined for his
politics⊠who might well have proved one of Napoleonâs very best Marshals. 12. Marshal Oudinot Nicolas Oudinot ran away to join the army
aged 17, but his father dragged him home 3 years later to help run the family business. When the Revolution began he volunteered for
the National Guard and was promoted Major. In the wars that followed he served with the
Army of the Rhine, always in the thick of the fighting, rapidly promoted and frequently
wounded â a habit for which he became celebrated. In 1799 he was promoted to General of Division
and sent to Switzerland, to serve as General MassĂ©naâs new chief of staff, a role he
performed âto perfection.â Serving with General Brune in Italy, he led
a cavalry charge against an Austrian battery at the Battle of Monzembano, sabring gunners
and capturing one cannon himself, a feat for which Napoleon awarded him a sword of honour. In 1805, the newly-crowned Emperor Napoleon
gave Oudinot command of an elite Grenadier Division, formed from the tallest, strongest
soldiers in the army. In December that year, at the Battle of Austerlitz,
Oudinot insisted on leading the division in person, despite having been shot in the thigh
two weeks earlier. His grenadiers were kept in reserve for most
of the battle, but saw heavy fighting in the latter stages, as Napoleon completed the destruction
of the Allied left wing. At the siege of Danzig in 1807, General Oudinotâs
division had the unusual distinction of capturing an enemy warship â a British sloop, that
had run aground trying to resupply the city. A month later at Friedland, Oudinot and his
grenadiers were under Marshal Lannesâ command, and played a crucial role holding up the Russian
army⊠until Napoleon arrived to deal a decisive blow. During the 1809 war with Austria, Oudinot
was wounded once more at the Battle of Aspern. When Marshal Lannes died of his wounds, Napoleon
chose Oudinot to succeed him as commander of Second Corps. He led his new corps with such success at
Wagram six weeks later, that Napoleon attributed victory to Masséna⊠and Oudinot. A week later he became one of three new Marshals:
âone for France, one for the army, one for friendshipâ. Oudinot: the armyâs choice â fearless
and much loved, a man whose courage inspired all around him. He later received an additional reward â the
title Duke of Reggio. In 1812 Marshal Oudinot led Second Corps into
Russia, but was wounded again at Polotsk, and handed over command to General Saint-Cyr. Ten weeks later he was back with his corps,
marching south to join up with Napoleonâs army on its retreat from Moscow. Oudinotâs men were shocked when they saw
their old comrades from the main column: they looked more like fugitives than soldiers of
the Grande ArmĂ©e. Since Oudinotâs Second Corps was in better
shape than most, it formed the vanguard for the desperate crossing of the Berezina River. But the next day, in bitter fighting to hold
the bridgehead against the Russians, Oudinot was shot from his saddle. He was carried back to a cottage with a serious
gunshot wound, but then he and his party became surrounded by Cossacks. Oudinot asked for his pistols and, âfrom
his bed, aiming through an opening opposite, began firing at the Cossacks.â They were rescued by friendly troops just
in time. Oudinot was back with the Grande Armée in
Germany in 1813. In August, Napoleon ordered him to lead an
advance on Berlin, but he was defeated by Bernadotteâs Army of the North at Grossbeeren. He then retreated in the wrong direction,
causing Napoleon to remark, âItâs truly difficult to have less brains than the Duke
of Reggioâ. In Oudinotâs defence, heâd probably been
given an impossible task â insufficient men to take on a strong opponent, bad weather,
terrible roads, and he himself unwell - possibly not yet recovered from his ordeal in Russia. Napoleon put Oudinot back where he was most
effective, leading troops in combat under his close supervision. At Leipzig, he commanded two divisions of
the Young Guard, engaged in heavy fighting on the southern front for two days. Oudinot continued to serve the Emperor courageously
and loyally as a corps commander in the final campaign of 1814 â but in April, he was
one of several Marshals to confront Napoleon with the reality of his position, and force
his abdication. When Napoleon returned from exile in 1815,
Oudinot refused to break his new oath to the monarchy, but declared neutrality, telling
Napoleon, âSince I shall not serve you, Sire, I shall serve no-one.â He continued to hold senior commands under
the Bourbons. By one estimate, Oudinot was wounded 36 times
in his military career, more than any other Marshal. Here are just 20 that we found details for⊠A fellow officer, who bathed with him at a
spa after the war, saw the scars on his body and observed, âHe was little more than a
colander.â Ironically, Oudinot was also one of the longest-lived
Marshals, dying aged 80, while serving as Governor of Les Invalides. 11. Marshal Victor Claude Victor-Perrin was an experienced soldier
by the time of the French Revolution, a sergeant with 8 yearsâ service in the Grenoble Artillery
Regiment. The Revolutionary Wars brought the opportunity
for rapid promotion, and by 1793 he was commanding an infantry battalion at the Siege of Toulon. He led a daring night assault on British defences
alongside the armyâs artillery chief, a young Major Bonaparte. Both men were wounded, but the attack was
a success, and both were quickly promoted to brigadier general. Victor served under General Bonaparte in Italy,
and turned out to be a brilliant brigade commander. In 1800, he distinguished himself at the Battle
of Marengo, where his command of the left wing won particular praise from Napoleon. But Victor did not hide his disapproval of
Napoleonâs quest for political power, and as a result, received relatively minor roles
under the new regime. In 1802 he was earmarked to lead an expedition
to recover the French territory of Louisiana, but it was called off when Napoleon decided,
instead, to sell Louisiana to the United States. Victor and Marshal Lannes were close friends
from their days serving together in Italy. In 1806, Lannes persuaded Napoleon to let
him have Victor as his new chief of staff for Fifth Corps. Napoleon agreed, and in October, Victor served
as Lannesâ deputy at the Battle of Jena. Napoleonâs earlier misgivings about Victor
were now forgotten, and that winter he was given command of the newly-formed Tenth Corps. But within weeks he was captured by a Prussian
patrol, and had to be exchanged for a captured Prussian officer⊠General von BlĂŒcher. His big break came in 1807, stepping in for
the wounded Marshal Bernadotte to command First Corps at Friedland, where he successfully
led a major attack as the Emperor looked on. Promotion to Marshal and the title Duke of
Bellumo swiftly followed. In 1808, Marshal Victor and First Corps took
part in the invasion of Spain, where heâd be posted for the next three years. Victorâs record in Spain was better than
most, but like others, he seemed more interested in personal glory and rewards than in co-operating
with fellow commanders. In 1809 at MedellĂn, he inflicted a crushing
defeat on General Cuestaâs Spanish army. Four months later, his bold night attack on
the British at Talavera came tantalisingly close to success. He was furious the next day when King Joseph
and Marshal Jourdan refused to support fresh attacks, and instead ordered a cautious withdrawal. The next year Victor besieged the Spanish
port of Cadiz. It proved a lengthy, futile operation, devoid
of glory, and saw his troops defeated by an allied sortie at the Battle of Barrosa. In 1812 Victor was recalled from Spain for
the invasion of Russia. His Ninth Corps was held in reserve for most
of the campaign, though his troops were kept busy defending depots and convoys from Cossacks
raids. That autumn, his corps attempted to cover
the main armyâs retreat from Moscow. The greatest crisis of the retreat came at
the Berezina River. As the remnants of the Grande Armée began
crossing over two improvised bridges, Victorâs Ninth Corps was ordered to form the rearguard. Though heavily outnumbered, Victor skilfully
handled his French and German troops, holding the Russians at bay as the army made its escape. He then marched his surviving troops over
the bridges in good order â a courageous performance, in desperate circumstances. In Germany in 1813, Victor commanded Second
Corps, and led the attack in Napoleonâs last great victory at Dresden. His corps was in heavy fighting again at Leipzig
two months later. Victor continued to serve at the Emperorâs
side in the defence of France in 1814. By now, like many comrades, he must have been
close to physical and psychological exhaustion. Regardless, during the Battle of Montereau,
Napoleon let fly at him for failing to get his troops into position, and blamed him for
the Alliesâ escape. Victor was relieved of command. But angry and humiliated at what he considered
his unfair dismissal, he told the Emperor: âMarshal Victor has not forgotten his old
trade. I will shoulder a musket and take my place
in the Guard.â Moved by this response, Napoleon relented
and gave Victor command of a corps of Young Guard. Two weeks later, he was badly wounded at the
Battle of Craonne, and took no further part in the war. A month later Napoleon abdicated, and Victor
switched his loyalty to the Bourbon monarchy⊠with surprising zeal. He led an investigation into former comrades
whoâd supported Napoleon during the Hundred Days, and was one of only two active Marshals
to vote for the death penalty for Marshal Ney - a decision he later claimed to regret. Victor later served as Minister of War, but
retired from public life in 1830, following the overthrow of the Bourbon monarchy. 10. Marshal Murat Joachim Murat, the son of an innkeeper, was
destined for a career in the church, but dropped out of college and joined a cavalry regiment
instead. To his immense frustration, he saw little
action in the early years of the Revolutionary Wars, being stuck with staff and training
roles. But in 1795, while stationed in Paris with
the 21st Chasseurs, fate intervened... A young general, Napoleon Bonaparte, had been
put in charge of the defence of the National Convention. With a mob poised to storm the building, he
ordered Captain Murat to bring him cannons, which he did, racing the guns through the
city streets... allowing Napoleon to mow down the mob with a famous âwhiff of grapeshotâ. Napoleon was hailed as the saviour of the
government, and rewarded with command of the Army of Italy. Murat was promoted Colonel and went with him
as his new aide-de-camp. He soon made a name for himself as a bold
and brilliant leader of cavalry⊠while his 6 foot height, curly locks and love of women
ensured fame as Franceâs foremost âbeau sabreurâ. In 1798 Murat joined Napoleonâs expedition
to Egypt. At the Battle of Aboukir, his flanking charge
broke the enemy, and Murat personally took the Ottoman commander prisoner, despite being
shot in the jaw â a wound which, to his immense relief, did not ruin his looks. Back in Paris, Napoleon launched his coup
dâĂ©tat to seize political power. When he got a hostile reception from the Council
of Five Hundred, it was Murat who saved the day, leading troops in to clear the chamber,
shouting âCitizens, you have been dissolvedâ⊠before adding something a bit more coarse. His place at the future Emperorâs side was
further assured when he married Napoleonâs youngest sister Caroline in 1800. Later that year he commanded the French cavalry
reserve at Marengo, and helped Napoleon to win a decisive victory over the Austrians. When Napoleon established his empire in 1804,
Murat became a Marsal, second in seniority only to Berthier. Heâd later also receive the title Prince
of the Empire, and rank of Grand Admiral. In the 1805 campaign, he commanded Napoleonâs
Cavalry Reserve â his excellent reconnaissance and diversions proving crucial in the encirclement
of General Mackâs Austrian army at Ulm. Three weeks later, Murat and Marshal Lannes,
who normally couldnât stand each other, together bluffed an Austrian commander into
surrendering a vital bridge, by persuading him that an armistice had been signed, when
it hadnât. It was a bold stunt, but overall, Napoleon
was not impressed by Muratâs pursuit of the enemy: âI cannot approve your manner
of march. You go on like a stunned fool taking not the
least notice of my orders.â Yet in battle, Murat remained a brilliant
and inspiring leader, as demonstrated at Austerlitz, and the next year at Jena, where he led the
decisive charge wielding only his riding crop. The next year at Eylau, with the Russians
poised to break through his centre, Napoleon ordered Murat to lead a mass cavalry charge
straight at the enemy. Muratâs men succeeded, and saved the army
from disaster â though at a terrible price in men and horses. Napoleon had rewarded Murat in 1806 by making
him sovereign prince of the Grand Duchy of Berg. In 1808, he sent Murat to Spain to act as
his representative. Spain was still a French ally, but in May,
Napoleonâs heavy-handed meddling in Spanish affairs triggered a ferocious backlash. Madrid rose up against the French garrisonâŠ
and Muratâs troops fought back with brutal force â killing around 200, executing 300
more. When Napoleon deposed Spainâs Bourbon monarchy,
Murat hoped heâd be made the new King of Spain, but that title went to Napoleonâs
brother Joseph; Murat, instead, received the throne of Naples. If it felt like second prize... it wasnât
bad going for an innkeeperâs son, college dropout, and ex-cavalry trooper. Napoleon expected Murat to merely represent
his interests in Naples, but Murat had other ideas: he reformed the Neapolitan army, equipping
it with splendid new uniforms; and turned a blind eye to smuggling, which undermined
Napoleonâs economic war against Britain - so-called Continental System. Relations between Murat and the Emperor became
strained. But when Napoleon began planning to invade
Russia in 1812, only Murat would do to lead his cavalry. Their differences were put to one side: Murat
took command of four cavalry corps, and became Napoleonâs second-in-command. During the advance into Russia, Muratâs
cavalry faced a difficult and frustrating task, trying to locate the enemy in a vast
landscape. Horses died in their thousands from poor fodder
and exhaustion. And they faced a dangerous and wily opponent
in Russiaâs Cossacks. Murat, always riding with the advance guard,
was so fearless and conspicuous in his extravagant uniforms that the Cossacks came to admire
him, calling out âOorah! Murat!â whenever they saw him, and hoped
to capture him alive if possible. Murat was among those who tried to persuade
Napoleon to halt the advance at Smolensk, but was ignored. At the great clash between the French and
Russian armies at Borodino, Murat was at his best, directing a series of attacks on the
Russian earthworks, always were the action was hottest, inspiring all with his courage. Murat remained with the army during the retreat
from Moscow, though his magnificent cavalry had virtually ceased to exist. One eyewitness noted that throughout the ordeal,
he never neglected his appearance â even at the Berezina, he looked splendid, in an
open-necked shirt, velvet cloak, a white feather in his cap. When Napoleon left the army to return to Paris,
he gave command to Marshal Murat. But Murat, now primarily concerned with hanging
onto his kingdom, left the army a month later and returned to Naples, where he opened secret
negotiations with the Coalition. He offered to join the war against Napoleon,
if the other powers would let him keep his crown. But he received only a lukewarm response. So in 1813, when Napoleon asked Murat to join
him in Germany, to fight for their thrones together, he answered the call. Murat had become increasingly difficult to
work with: over-sensitive about his royal status, prone to tantrums⊠but in battle,
as fearless as ever. At Dresden, his charge through rain and mud
shattered the Austrian left wing and paved the way for victory. But then at Liebertwolkwitz, he showed his
limitations when not under Napoleonâs direct command â getting drawn into a major and
unnecessary cavalry battle with Coalition forces, and twice nearly being captured himself. Two days later, at the Battle of Leipzig,
he led another of historyâs great cavalry charges â coming close to breaking the enemy
centre, and even capturing the Allied monarchs. But it was not to be. The Battle of the Nations ended in a disastrous
defeat. As Napoleon retreated to the French frontier,
Murat informed the Emperor that he was leaving for Naples, promising to raise fresh troops. Murat and Napoleon would never meet again. Three months later, the King of Naples had
cut a deal with the Coalition, and switched sides. âSo long as it was possible for me to believe
that the Emperor Napoleon was fighting to bring peace and glory to France, I fought
loyally at his side,â Murat declared. âBut now⊠I know that the Emperorâs sole desire is
war.â However, Muratâs commitment to the Sixth
Coalition was distinctly half-hearted. His army marched against Eugeneâs forces
in northern Italy, but had done no actual fighting before news arrived of Napoleonâs
abdication. Murat then began to suspect what had been
obvious to Napoleon, at least: the Coalition was not going to honour its promise, and Murat
would be next to lose his throne. So in 1815, encouraged by news of Napoleonâs
return from exile, Murat marched north against the Austrians, proclaiming a war for Italian
freedom and independence. Just seven weeks later, his campaign ended
in defeat at the Battle of Tolentino. With the British and Austrians closing in,
Murat became a hunted fugitive. He sailed to France, but Napoleon had not
forgiven his betrayal, and refused to see him. After Napoleonâs defeat at Waterloo, he
fled to Corsica, gathered a small band of volunteers and returned to Italy, in a hopelessly
doomed attempt to start a revolution and reclaim his throne. Chased by a mob, and arrested on the beach,
Murat was sentenced to death by the restored Bourbon monarchy of Naples. He met his end with his usual courage, telling
the firing squad, âIf you wish to spare me, aim at the heart!â âŠthen gave the
order to fire himself. Murat is rightly remembered as one of the
great battlefield cavalry commanders of history â inspirational, fearless, with brilliant
tactical instinct. But outside of combat, he was, in Napoleonâs
estimation, â⊠a very poor general. He always waged war without maps.â Worse, when the conflict turned against France,
he allowed self-interest and vanity to prevail over loyalty to the Emperor. As Napoleonâs Chief-of-Staff Marshal Berthier
once told him: âYouâre only a king by the grace of Napoleon and French blood. Itâs black ingratitude thatâs blinding
you.â 9. Marshal BessiĂšres Jean-Baptiste BessiĂšres was the son of a
surgeon, with a relatively prosperous upbringing in southwestern France. When the French Revolution began, he volunteered
for the National Guard, and was sent to Paris to join the Kingâs Constitutional Guard,
along with his old schoolfriend Joachim Murat. This unit was soon disbanded, but BessiĂšres
remained in Paris, and was among the soldiers defending the Tuileries Palace, when it was
stormed by the mob on 10th August 1792. In the aftermath, he needed to get out of
Paris in a hurry. So he volunteered to fight on the Pyrenees
front. His bravery and good sense won him a commission
in the 22nd Chasseurs, and he distinguished himself at the Battle of Boulou. Transferred to Italy, his friendship with
Murat got him noticed by the army commander General Bonaparte, who was impressed enough
to make him commander of his new bodyguard, known as âLes Guides de Bonaparteâ. BessiĂšres distinguished himself as a cavalry
commander in Italy, and later Egypt, winning promotion to Brigadier and loyally supporting
Napoleon at every turn. He became one of the few men that Napoleon
regarded as a true friend. When Napoleon became First Consul of France
in 1799, he rewarded BessiĂšres with command of the elite Consular Guard cavalry â which
he led with devastating effect at Marengo the next year. In 1804 BessiĂšres became a Marshal â less
for any great military achievement, than for being a loyal member of Napoleonâs inner
circle. BessiĂšres himself was well-liked: kind, well-mannered
and generous, a pious Catholic and social conservative, who liked to powder his hair
in the old style. His young wife, Marie-Jeanne, was also a favourite
at court, doted on by Napoleon and Empress Josephine. In 1805, BessiĂšres commanded the Imperial
Guard. In December that year, at the Battle of Austerlitz,
he played a crucial role, repelling the Russian Guard at the battleâs climax. At Eylau in 1807, his squadrons supported
Muratâs mass cavalry charge, and made their own disciplined attacks to cover his withdrawal. However, BessiĂšresâ opportunities for glory
were limited, as Napoleon always held the Guard back as his last reserve, as at Friedland. In 1808, BessiĂšres received his first major
independent command in northern Spain. That May, the country erupted in revolt against
the French. BessiĂšres reacted quickly and decisively,
securing key towns and roads. He then attacked Spanish forces at Medina
de Rioseco, winning a crushing victory against an enemy that outnumbered him two-to-one. But once the immediate crisis had passed,
he hesitated, and failed to exploit his victory. When Napoleon arrived in Spain, BessiĂšres
was given command of the Reserve Cavalry⊠a role he retained for the war against Austria
in 1809. In May, BessiĂšres and his cavalry were among
the first across the Danube, with Masséna occupying the village of Aspern on his left,
and Lannes, holding Essling on the right. When the Austrian commander, Archduke Charles,
launched a massive and unexpected counterattack, BessiĂšres, outnumbered four-to-one, made
a series of desperate charges, helping to save the army from disaster. It came at a high cost. BessiĂšres and his cavalry performed bravely. But that night, a long-running feud with Marshal
Lannes nearly came to blows, when Lannes accused BessiĂšres of hanging back. The matter went no further, as Lannes was
fatally wounded the next day. BessiĂšres commanded the cavalry again at
Wagram, leading a major attack to cover MassĂ©naâs redeployment to the left wing. As the charge began a cannonball killed BessiĂšresâ
horse and injured his leg. A rumour reached the Imperial Guard that BessiĂšres
was dead. Some old veterans began to weep for their
old commander, until they were assured he was only wounded. âThat was quite a cannonball,â Napoleon
told BessiĂšres, âIt reduced my Guard to tears!â As a devout Catholic, BessiĂšres was critical
of Napoleonâs divorce from Empress Josephine, leading to a short spell out of favour. In 1811 he was sent back to Spain to command
the Army of the North. He found an impossible situation â a widespread
insurgency, and insufficient troops and supplies. He wrote bluntly to Napoleon, stating that
the French must give up territory⊠something the Emperor would never allow. For all his piety and refined manners, BessiÚres
ordered his share of executions and reprisals in his attempt to pacify northern Spain â brutal
methods used by many French commanders in this conflict. Later that year, he joined forces with Marshal
MassĂ©naâs Army of Portugal, to take on Wellingtonâs army at the Battle of Fuentes
de Oñoro⊠but was widely blamed for refusing to send in his cavalry to support MassĂ©naâs
attacks. Unfortunately for Napoleon, this was typical
of how many Marshals behaved in his absence â theyâd rather watch another Marshal
fail, than help them to win all the glory. In 1812, BessiĂšres accompanied Napoleon into
Russia, commanding his Guard cavalry. Since the Guard was kept in reserve, he saw
little action until the retreat, when he led the advance guard, clearing a path for the
survivors. The disaster in Russia left BessiĂšres severely
demoralised. But he was resolved to do his duty, now serving
once more as Napoleonâs cavalry commander, in Marshal Muratâs absence. On 1st May 1813, BessiĂšres was scouting enemy
positions before the Battle of LĂŒtzen, when a cannonball hit him in the chest, killing
him instantly. His death robbed Napoleon of a dependable
commander, and one of his last remaining friends. âIt is surely a great loss for you and your
children,â Napoleon wrote to his widow, âbut an even greater one for me." 8. Marshal Macdonald Jacques Macdonaldâs father was a Scotsman
whoâd supported Bonnie Prince Charlieâs bid to seize the British throne in 1745. After this ended in defeat at Culloden, the
family fled to France. Inspired by tales of the Trojan War, Macdonald
chose a military life, and became a lieutenant in Dillonâs Irish Regiment â a French
unit made up mostly of Irish Ă©migres. In the Revolutionary Wars, he won a reputation
as a hard-working, intelligent and brave officer, and served as aide-de-camp to General Dumouriez,
commanding the Army of the North. He distinguished himself in that generalâs
famous victory at Jemappes, paving the way for rapid promotion, from lieutenant to general
in just two years. He led his division well during campaigns
in Holland and Germany, and formed a close bond with one of Franceâs most successful
commanders of this period, General Moreau. In 1798 he was sent to Rome as governor, and
later commanded the Army of Naples. Summoned north the following year to reinforce
Moreauâs Army of Italy, he was nearly killed in a skirmish with Austrian cavalry; and while
still suffering from his wounds, his army was defeated at the Trebbia by a larger Coalition
force, commanded by the great Russian general, Suvorov. But Macdonaldâs own conduct won approval
from General Bonaparte, among others. Later that year, he assisted Napoleonâs
seizure of power in the Coup of 18 Brumaire, ensuring the loyalty of the troops at Versailles. He was rewarded with an army command in Switzerland,
and that winter, led his men through the Alps to attack the Austrians in Italy. His march was far more challenging and dangerous
than Napoleonâs, but was never immortalised in quite the same way. In 1804, Macdonaldâs former commander General
Moreau was arrested and charged with involvement in a plot to assassinate Napoleon. Macdonald stood up for his friendâs reputation
â an act of loyalty typical of the man⊠but disastrous for his career. Moreau was exiled; Macdonald was placed under
police surveillance, and retired to his country estate in disgrace. Five years passed before Napoleon, desperate
for experienced senior commanders, asked him to serve as military advisor to his 27-year
old stepson Prince EugĂšne, now commanding the Army of Italy. Macdonald and EugĂšne worked well together,
driving back the Austrians, and by an awesome feat of marching, joined Napoleon near Vienna
in time for the Battle of Wagram. The second day of the battle was Macdonaldâs
moment. Entrusted by the Emperor with the main attack
on the enemy centre, he formed his troops into a giant open-backed square, and advanced
into a hail of fire. Napoleon, watching through his telescope,
exclaimed several times, âWhat a brave man! What a brave man.â Macdonaldâs costly attack helped to secure
a great victory. The next day Napoleon went to find him on
the battlefield, and greeted him with the words, âLet us be friends from now⊠You have acted valiantly and given me the
greatest services... On the battlefield of your glory, where I
owe you so large a part of yesterdayâs success, I make you a Marshal of France... You have long deserved it.â In addition, Macdonald received the title
Duke of Taranto and a large pension. But as time would prove, his loyalty remained
to France, not to Napoleon. Macdonald spent an unhappy year in Catalonia,
commanding troops in what he regarded as an immoral war â in his memoirs he even praised
the ânoble and courageous resistanceâ of the Spanish. In 1812, he was given command of Tenth Corps
for the invasion of Russia. This corps, composed of German troops and
reluctant Prussian allies, guarded the left flank of the invasion, and had a relatively
quiet campaign. In December, the Prussians suddenly agreed
an armistice with the Russians, leaving the loyal remnants of Macdonaldâs corps to fight
their way back to Poland. By 1813, Napoleon relied on Macdonald as one
of his senior Marshals. In August, he gave him command of the forces
keeping watch on General BlĂŒcherâs Army of Silesia. But when Macdonald advanced across the Katzbach
river, torrential rain and flooding caused chaos among his troops, just as they encountered
BlĂŒcherâs army. BlĂŒcher launched an immediate attack, and
Macdonaldâs army was routed. Thousands of his new conscripts surrendered
or deserted; hundreds were driven into the river itself. Macdonald took full responsibility for the
disaster, though his lack of cavalry and some bad luck were also to blame. Napoleon certainly continued to respect Macdonaldâs
military judgement. He continued to command Eleventh Corps, and
was in the thick of the fighting at Leipzig two months later. Macdonald was with the rearguard when the
French retreat began, and was shocked to see the chaos that engulfed the army. When the Elster Bridge was blown too early,
he himself was trapped on the wrong side of the river, and just managed to swim to safety
under enemy fire. Macdonald continued to serve Napoleon as a
loyal and reliable commander throughout the 1814 campaign, effectively serving as his
deputy at several key moments. Unlike most Marshals, Macdonald was never
under Napoleonâs spell, and always spoke his mind to the Emperor. This in itself was a valuable service, though
it sometimes led to heated arguments. Perhaps inevitably, in April, it was Macdonald
and Ney who took the lead in confronting Napoleon with the facts of his situation: the war was
lost, and he must abdicate. Napoleon named Macdonald as one of the three
men whoâd negotiate with the allies, telling his foreign minister, the Marquis de Caulaincourt,
âMacdonald does not like me, but he is a man of his word, of high principles, and he
can be relied on.â In their last meeting a few days later, Napoleon
told Macdonald, âI did not know you well; I was prejudiced against you. I have done so much for so many others whoâve
abandoned me. And you, who owe me nothing, have remained
faithful. I appreciate your loyalty too late.â Macdonald was kept on as a military advisor
by Franceâs restored Bourbon monarchy. He continued to speak his mind, so much so
that Louis the Eighteenth nicknamed him âHis Outspokennessâ. During the Hundred Days, Macdonald remained
loyal to the King, and attempted to rally troops to fight against Napoleon. When he saw this was futile, he escorted the
King to safety in Belgium, then returned to Paris, where he refused to meet with Napoleon. After the defeat at Waterloo, he was put in
charge of demobilising the last elements of Napoleonâs Grande ArmĂ©e, and helped many
officers to escape arrest by the Bourbons. Macdonald was a methodical, reliable if unspectacular
commander. But he distinguished himself above all by
his lack of vanity or personal ambition, his complete loyalty to France, and his willingness
to speak his mind â virtues that were all too rare among Napoleonâs Marshals. 7. Marshal MassĂ©na AndrĂ© MassĂ©na was born in Nice, at that
time not technically part of France, but of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. His father, a shopkeeper, died when he was
young, so he ran away to sea, then at 17, enlisted in the French army. He was quickly made a sergeant, but a commoner
could rise no higher in the royal army, so after 14 yearsâ service, he quit. When the French Revolution began, he re-enlisted
in a local volunteer battalion. Masséna, supremely self-confident and unfazed
by any challenge, was elected to command the battalion, and led it with success against
the Austrians on the Piedmontese front. Despite his lack of education, he proved an
instinctive combat leader: he was soon promoted to brigadier⊠and after leading a successful
attack at the Siege of Toulon, was made General of Division. He won an impressive victory over the Austrians
at Loano in 1795, and when the Army of Italyâs commander, General SchĂ©rer resigned, over
lack of support from the government in Paris, many expected Masséna to replace him. Instead, the job went to the 26 year-old General
Bonaparte â 11 years younger and much less experienced than MassĂ©na, but with far better
political connections. Nevertheless, Napoleon and Masséna worked
together brilliantly: Masséna commanded his advance guard, and played a major role in
several of his early victories. In reports, Napoleon described Masséna as
âactive, tireless, audaciousâŠâ. He won so many battles that Napoleon acclaimed
him âLâenfant gĂątĂ© de la victoireâ â the spoiled child of victory. MassĂ©na was, however, notorious for extorting
vast sums from the local Italians, often while his own troops went hungry and without pay. In 1798 Masséna received his first independent
command, the Army of Switzerland. The next spring, after French defeats on the
Rhine, and in Italy, responsibility for the defence of France lay in his hands. Rather than wait to be encircled, he attackedâŠ
and won a brilliant victory over Austrian and Russian forces at the Battle of ZĂŒrich. Rewarded with command of the Army of Italy,
Masséna led a heroic defence of Genoa in 1800. He was eventually starved into surrender,
but his stubborn defence bought Napoleon enough time to cross the Alps, and defeat the Austrians
at Marengo. Physically exhausted by this last ordeal,
and surrounded by accusations of corruption, Masséna was recalled to Paris and went into
semi-retirement. When he was made a Marshal by Napoleon in
1804, he seemed distinctly underwhelmed, and on being congratulated, remarked, âThere
are fourteen of us!â But MassĂ©na was one of the few Marshals whoâd
proved themselves in independent command, making him a priceless asset to Napoleon. In 1805 he was recalled to active service,
and given command of the Army of Italy in the war against the Third Coalition. MassĂ©na kept Archduke Charlesâs army busy
in Italy, while the Emperor won his great victories at Ulm and Austerlitz. In 1806, Masséna oversaw the occupation of
the Kingdom of Naples â ordering brutal reprisals against local resistance. In 1807 he commanded Fifth Corps in Poland,
but his role covering Warsaw meant he missed the major battles of Eylau and Friedland. Later that year, while out hunting with the
Emperor and his entourage at Fontainebleau, he was accidentally shot in the face, and
lost the use of an eye. Napoleon, a notoriously bad shot, was to blame,
but the loyal Marshal Berthier claimed responsibility. The war against Austria in 1809 saw Masséna
back near his best: his corps formed the vanguard for the crossing of the Danube, and fought
ferociously to hold the village of Aspern against an overwhelming Austrian onslaught. Masséna was everywhere, displaying his usual
coolness under fire, and when ordered to retreat, ensured his troops pulled back across the
river in good order. The battle was a defeat, but Masséna had
been superb. Together, he and the Emperor oversaw preparations
for the next attempt to cross the Danube six weeks later. The Austrians were waiting for them, at the
Battle of Wagram. Because of a riding accident a few days earlier,
Masséna had to command his corps from a carriage. He made a fine target for Austrian gunners,
but was still able to organise a complex redeployment of his corps at the height of the battle,
covered by Marshal BessiĂ©res cavalry charge. MassĂ©naâs bold manoeuvre secured the French
left flank, and won further praise from Napoleon. Masséna, already ennobled as the Duke of
Rivoli, received a new title, Prince of Essling; and another, less welcome reward â command
of French forces for the invasion of Portugal. Masséna was deeply reluctant to go, and complained
bitterly about his appointment. He was showing clear signs of exhaustion,
and was plagued by rheumatism and bad lungs. When he arrived in Spain, General Foy observed,
âHeâs only 52 but he looks more than 60. Heâs lost weight and has begun to stoop. His glance, since the accident in which he
lost an eye, has lost its keenness.â His subordinates, already underwhelmed by
his appearance, were outraged that the Marshal also decided to bring along his mistress,
poorly disguised as an officer of dragoons. The French invasion of Portugal proved a disaster
- undone by Wellingtonâs scorched earth tactics, a hostile population and terrain,
and MassĂ©naâs own lethargic leadership. His corps commanders, especially Marshal Ney,
were scathing of his conduct. At Buçaco, Masséna squandered lives with
an unnecessary frontal attack on a strong British position. When he reached Lisbon, he found the city
protected by new fortifications â the impregnable Lines of Torres Vedras. MassĂ©na waited outside Lisbon for reinforcements
that never came, while sickness and guerrilla raids took their toll on his army. Five months later, he re-crossed the mountains
back into Spain, leaving a string of devastated villages behind him. The next summer, at Fuentes de Oñoro, Masséna
attacked Wellingtonâs army once more â and despite much hard fighting, again failed to
win a clear victory. He blamed Marshal BessiĂšres for his lack
of support. But the Emperorâs patience was at an end. He sent Marshal Marmont to replace MassĂ©na,
and when they next met, greeted him with the cutting words, âSo, Prince of Essling, you
are no longer MassĂ©na?â MassĂ©naâs health was now in steep decline. He never held a major command again, though
he was recalled in 1813 to supervise a military district in southern France. He died after a long illness in 1817. In his prime, Masséna was a superb commander
â incisive, and dangerous. But he was past his best by the time he became
a Marshal. Nevertheless, there were enough sparks of
his old brilliance to worry his adversaries. The Duke of Wellington once remarked, âWhen
MassĂ©na was opposed to me in the field, I never slept comfortably.â 6. Marshal Suchet Louis-Gabriel Suchet was born in Lyon, the
son of a prosperous silk-merchant. Plans to join the family business were derailed
by the French Revolution, when Suchet, an ardent republican, joined the cavalry of the
Lyon National Guard. In 1793 he was elected to lead a volunteer
battalion, and at the Siege of Toulon, distinguished himself by helping to capture the British
commander, General OâHara. He also made friends with a young Major Bonaparte. Suchet went on to serve under Napoleon in
his first, brilliant campaign in Italy, fighting at Lodi, Castiglione, and Bassano. Transferred to MassĂ©naâs division, he led
his battalion with distinction at Arcole and Rivoli, was wounded twice and promoted Colonel. It was in Italy that Suchet learned the most
valuable lesson of his career: for troops to be effective, they must be properly paid,
clothed and fed â something the French Republic consistently failed to achieve. Despite proving himself to be an excellent
organiser and dependable in battle, Suchet never quite made it into General Bonaparteâs
inner circle. He went on to serve as a highly effective
chief-of-staff to General Brune, then to Masséna in Switzerland; and was with Joubert in Italy,
who died in his arms at the Battle of Novi. Suchet was promoted to General of Division,
and in 1800 he was given command of the Army of Italyâs left wing. With MassĂ©na besieged by the Austrians in
Genoa, the defence of southern France fell on his shoulders. In a brilliant independent campaign, he held
the Austrians near Nice, then chased them back into Italy, taking 15,000 prisoners. Despite this impressive record, Suchet was
not on the list of Marshals created by Napoleon in 1804. Worse, in 1805 he was effectively demoted,
being given command of a division in Marshal Lannesâ Fifth Corps. Nevertheless, it was a role he performed with
great skill: his division distinguished itself at Ulm and Austerlitz, and the next year,
led the attack in Napoleonâs crushing victory over the Prussians at Jena. The next year in Poland, his division saw
hard fighting at Pultusk, but was then held back to defend Warsaw, and missed the great
battles of Eylau and Friedland. Napoleon heaped rewards on General Suchet
â money, titles, but still no Marshalâs baton⊠In 1808, Suchetâs division was sent to Spain,
where heâd spend the next six years. His first role was to support the Siege of
Saragossa. Then on Marshal Lannesâ recommendation,
Napoleon gave him command of Third Corps, and made him Governor of Aragon. Suchet found his troops to be poorly supplied,
ill-disciplined and low in morale. Their first battle together, against General
Blakeâs Spanish army, ended in a humiliating rout at Alcañiz. Suchet found the drummer whoâd started the
panic, and had him shot in front of the entire corps. He then reorganised his troops, and restored
discipline and pride with two quick victories over the Spanish. He also faced a guerrilla war in Aragon â a
popular insurgency, driven by hatred of the French invader. Suchet drew on French experience of fighting
counter-revolutionary insurgents in the Vendée, and realised that it was only by winning over
the civilian population that heâd be able to make progress. He made it his first priority to ensure his
own men were properly paid and fed â something almost unheard of for French troops in Spain. He enforced discipline, and made sure requisitioned
supplies were paid for. He told his troops: âI will look after your well-being⊠and
you, by your discipline, will give security to the inhabitants... you will make them,
by your conduct, care for the government of King Joseph.â He told the Spanish people: âMy troops will not impede you harvests
nor overcrowd your cities. They will live in the countryside ready to
protect you⊠Religion and clergy will be respected.â Crucially, Suchet also promised protection
from the many Spanish guerrilla bands who behaved no better than bandits. His practical and humane approach won respect,
and brought results. The guerrillas could never be completely defeated,
but Suchet made Aragon the safest and best-run region in occupied Spain. He extended French control of eastern Spain
with a series of successful sieges: at Lerida, Mequinenza, and Tortosa. In June 1811, he took Tarragona. For this victory, Napoleon finally awarded
him his Marshalâs baton â the only one earned in Spain. Then he moved south. He defeated a larger Spanish force at SaguntumâŠ
then took the great city of Valencia, along with 18,000 prisoners and nearly 500 guns. Napoleon rewarded Suchet with the title Duke
of Albufera. But the overall situation in Spain was deteriorating
steadily. The partisans became better organised and
supplied; the British navy was able to land troops on the coast to make diversionary attacks;
while Napoleon withdrew more and more units for his own campaigns in Russia and Germany. After King Joseph and Jourdan were defeated
at Vitoria, Suchet had no option but to pull back towards the French frontier, leaving
behind several, well-supplied garrisons. On Napoleonâs abdication, Suchet remained
undefeated, still holding the French frontier. When Napoleon returned from exile, Suchet
went to meet him in Paris. It was the first time theyâd met in person
in eight years. âMarshal Suchet, you have grown greatly
since we last saw one another!â the Emperor told him. He entrusted Suchet with command of French
forces in the south â an important, independent command, for which few men were better suited. Suchet dutifully kept Franceâs enemies at
bay⊠until news arrived of Napoleonâs defeat at Waterloo. Following the second Bourbon restoration,
Suchet was dismissed and retired to his country estate, where he died in 1826. He was still held in such esteem in Aragon
that a mass was held, to pray for his soul, in the cathedral of Saragossa. Suchet was a brilliant commander, widely-regarded
as the best administrator in Napoleonâs army. He was also one of the few who thrived with
the responsibility of independent command. He never had the opportunity to prove himself
on the warâs decisive battlegrounds. But when Napoleon, in exile on Saint-Helena,
was asked to name his best general, he replied, âThat is difficult to say⊠but it seems
to me that it is Suchet.â 5. Marshal Ney Michel Ney was a cooperâs son from Lorraine,
a German-speaking region of France on the eastern frontier. His father wanted him to become a clerk, but
the young Ney, impetuous and headstrong, joined a hussar regiment instead. He soon distinguished himself as a fine horseman
and fencer, and was a senior sergeant by the time of the French Revolution. When war broke out, Ney was made an officer,
and became aide-de-camp to General Lamarche: his reports described Ney as active, brave
and a skilled tactician. Ney served in the Netherlands and on the Rhine,
fighting at Valmy, Jemappes and Neerwinden; he was seriously wounded once and captured
once. Fellow officers nicknamed Ney âthe IndefatigableââŠ
his men preferred âle Rougeaudâ, the ruddy, or red-faced. The 30 year-old Ney was now a proven brigade
commander, despite refusing promotion more than once, regarding himself as unqualified. In 1799, following glowing reports from General
Bernadotte, he finally accepted the rank of General of Division. In 1800, Ney and his division played a major
role in General Moreauâs great victory over the Austrians at Hohenlinden. This brought him to the attention of Franceâs
new First Consul, Napoleon Bonaparte, with whom heâd still never served. When they met in Paris, they warmed to each
other; Napoleon entrusted Ney the delicate task of imposing his âAct of Mediationâ
on Switzerland, which he carried out with swift efficiency. The same year Ney married Aglaé-Louise Auguié,
a friend of Josephineâs daughter Hortense, now Napoleonâs stepdaughter, drawing him
closer to Franceâs future imperial family. In 1804, Napoleon proclaimed a new empire,
and Ney was made a Marshal. The next year, he was leading Sixth Corps
to war against Austria. He was accompanied by Colonel Henri Jomini,
a Swiss officer and military theorist. Ney had been quick to recognise his talent,
giving him a job as his aide-de-camp and helping to publish his work. Jomini would win fame as one of the 19th centuryâs
great military thinkers, and served Ney well as his chief-of-staff on several campaigns. During the advance against the Austrians,
Jomini encouraged Ney to ignore orders from Marshal Murat that wouldâve allowed the
enemy to escape. Their decision was vindicated when Sixth Corps
won a brilliant action at Elchingen, that closed the trap on General Mackâs forces
at Ulm. Neyâs corps missed the Battle of Austerlitz,
but was in action against the Prussians the following year. There had already been signs that Neyâs
aggressive instinct, which made him a brilliant tactical leader, could also get him into trouble. At the Battle of Jena, Ney ignored his orders,
and charged straight at the Prussian lines, becoming cut off. His troops had to be rescued by Marshal Lannesâ
corps. A furious Napoleon remarked âNey knows less
about soldiering than the last-joined drummer boy.â Ney was criticised again by Napoleon three
months later, when his foraging raids into East Prussia appeared to provoke a Russian
offensive. The winter manoeuvring culminated in the horrific
Battle of Eylau, which Neyâs corps reached only as darkness fell. That summer, Bennigsenâs Russian army launched
a surprise attack, hoping to encircle and destroy Neyâs Sixth Corps near Guttstadt. Ney, outnumbered four to one, conducted a
brilliant fighting withdrawal and escaped the trap. A week later, Napoleon caught Bennigsenâs
army at Friedland. Ney led a crucial attack on the enemy. âThat man is a lion,â said Napoleon, watching
his advance. Sixth Corpsâ onslaught shattered the Russian
left, leading to one of Napoleonâs most decisive victories. For all his flaws, Ney had proved himself
one of Napoleonâs best tactical commanders, and was rewarded with the title Duke of Elchingen. In 1808, Ney commanded a corps during the
invasion of Spain. He spent more than two years in the Iberian
Peninsula, and like most of Napoleonâs Marshals, found it a bitter and frustrating experience. In 1810, he joined Marshal MassĂ©na for the
invasion of Portugal, but deeply resented being placed under his command. He criticised every decision, helping to create
a poisonous atmosphere at French headquarters. The French advance on Lisbon came to a halt
at the Lines of Torres Vedras. During the subsequent retreat, Ney again demonstrated
his brilliant tactical skills, fighting a series of rearguard actions that kept Wellingtonâs
troops at bay. But Neyâs fury at what he considered MassĂ©naâs
disastrous leadership boiled over into open insubordination: he was relieved of command,
and returned to France. But he did not remain in disgrace for long. Napoleon knew Neyâs worth in battle, and
that the army adored him... Heâd be needed in Russia, and was recalled
in 1812, with command of Third Corps. As the Grande Armée advanced deeper into
Russia, Ney was always near the action â leading attacks at Krasny, and at Smolensk, where
he was wounded in the neck. Amid the slaughter of Borodino, Ney led his
corps in attack after attack on the Russian earthworks. When they were finally taken, and he was told
that Napoleon would not send in his reserves to follow up their hard-won gains, he exploded
with anger: âWhat business has the Emperor in the rear
of the army? Since he will no longer make war himselfâŠ
let him return to the Tuileries, and leave us to be generals for him!â It was typical of Neyâs lack of restraint. But his blind faith in the Emperor did not
survive Russia⊠henceforth, heâd fight only for France. It was during the retreat from Moscow that
Ney ensured his place among the legends of military history. Just 2 weeks into the retreat, the Russians
routed Davoutâs rearguard at Vyazma, and Ney and Third Corps took over. Ney was not only an instinctive tactician,
and apparently immune to fear or fatigue⊠he could inspire or bully other men into superhuman
feats of bravery and endurance. A French officer later recalled: âI can see him still, at the spot where
the fighting was hottest, speaking to the men, indicating to the generals what positions
they should take up, animating all hearts with the confidence that flashed from his
glances. He made an effect on me I donât know how
to describe.â At Krasny, when the rearguard got cut-off
from the rest of the army, Ney angrily rejected calls to surrender, and led his men in an
astonishing forced march across enemy territory, crossing the frozen Dnieper River at night,
personally pulling men from the river when they fell through the ice. Surrounded by Cossacks and down to 800 fighting
men, they formed square and kept moving. Ney was more than a hero to the army. He was its talisman. News of his escape caused rejoicing throughout
the army. Napoleon himself remarked, âWhat a soldier! The army is full of brave men, but Michel
Ney is truly the bravest of the brave.â Ney led the rearguard for the rest of the
retreat, and according to legend, was the last man to cross the Niemen River into Poland. His leadership helped many thousands of soldiers
to make it back alive. Ney was rewarded with the title Prince of
the Moskva, and continued to serve throughout 1813, though his relations with the Emperor,
and Marshal Berthier in particular, were increasingly strained. At LĂŒtzen, Ney was moved by the conduct of
his young conscripts, who bore the brunt of Blucherâs surprise attack, but fought back
bravely, helping to win victory. Napoleon then entrusted Ney with command of
three army corps â 84,000 men. But the plan for him to fall on the enemyâs
flank at Bautzen went awry. Badly-drafted orders led to delay, and the
Coalition army was able to escape. Ney fought in the Emperorâs great victory
at Dresden⊠but ten days later at Dennewitz, his limitations as an army commander were
horribly exposed. Throwing himself into an attack, he lost control
of the battle, and was badly beaten by Bernadotteâs Army of the North. Ney was devasted by his defeat, but Napoleon
kept him in command of his northern wing. At the gigantic, four-day Battle of Leipzig,
he commanded the northern sector, holding the line until a shoulder wound on the last
day forced his return to France. He rejoined the army in 1814 and fought in
the defence of France, commanding the Young Guard, and personally leading a bayonet charge
at the Battle of Montmirail. In April, Ney - outspoken as ever - was among
the first to confront Napoleon with the reality of his position, and force his abdication. Ney was feted by the restored Bourbon monarchy
as Franceâs greatest soldier. But he could not hide his contempt for the
returning aristocrats, who treated his family with disdain. When the kingâs niece reduced his wife to
tears, Ney confronted her, shouting âI and others were fighting for France, while you
sat sipping tea in English gardens.â In February 1815, Napoleon escaped from exile
on Elba and landed in France. Ney was horrified by the prospect of civil
war, and promised the king that heâd bring Napoleon back to Paris in an iron cage. But he soon saw that the army was flocking
to Napoleonâs banner. When Napoleon appealed to him directly as
the hero of Borodino, Ney made the fateful decision to cast in his lot with the Emperor
once more. When Napoleon advanced into the Netherlands
in June, to take on Wellington and BlĂŒcherâs armies, Ney commanded his left wing. But he made a string of blunders. Against Wellingtonâs troops at Quatre Bras,
he was too cautious when he held the advantage. Two days later, at Waterloo, Napoleon left
much of the tactical handling of the battle to Marshal Ney. It was a mistake. On his own initiative, Ney launched a series
of mass cavalry attacks too early⊠and failed to launch any co-ordinated attacks on Wellingtonâs
position until late in the day. He had four horses killed under him, an
d personally led the last, doomed attack by the Imperial Guard. Neyâs courage that day was awe-inspiring,
but his decisions helped to cause the French defeat. In the aftermath, Ney spurned several chances
to flee France, and was arrested for treason by the restored monarchy. A military court refused to pass sentence,
so his case went to the Chamber of Peers. With the kingâs allies demanding that an
example be made of Ney, the outcome of his trial was never in doubt. Five of Neyâs fellow Marshals were among
a large majority who voted for the death penalty. On 7th December 1815, he was marched into
the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. âSoldiers, when I give the order to fire,
fire at the heartâ, he told the firing squad. âWait for the order. It will be my last to you. I protest against my condemnation. I have fought a hundred battles for France,
and not one against her.â Marshal Ney was among the most inspirational
battlefield commanders in history: a born soldier and brilliant tactician⊠unless
his fiery temperament got the better of him. He lacked the confidence for high command,
but under the Emperorâs supervision, he proved one of the Grande ArmĂ©eâs greatest
combat leaders. 4. Marshal Soult Jean-de-Dieu Soult was from a small town in
southern France, and enlisted in the RĂ©giment Royal aged 16. He became a tough, capable sergeant, and in
the build-up to the Revolutionary Wars, joined a new battalion of volunteers as their drill
instructor. Soultâs self-confidence and bearing meant
he was soon made an officer. The unit went into action against the Prussians
in 1793: in a brutal baptism of fire, half the battalion became casualties, though Soultâs
own conduct was praised. After a spell on the staff of General Hoche,
he joined General Lefebvreâs crack vanguard division. Soult learned much from Lefebvre (a future
fellow-Marshal), serving first as his chief of staff, and later as his best brigade commander. Soultâs rise from sergeant to brigadier-general
took less than three years. In the process he won a reputation as an organised
and decisive commander, and brilliant tactician. He also began a bitter, long-lasting feud
with another rising star, General Michel Ney. In 1799 Soult established himself as one of
Franceâs best divisional commanders, fighting under MassĂ©naâs command at the Battle of
Zurich. He was then put in charge of three divisions
to pursue General Suvarov through the Alps, proving his ability for high command. In his report to Franceâs new First Consul,
Napoleon Bonaparte, Masséna wrote, "for judgment and courage, Soult has scarcely a superior." The next year, Soult and Masséna were besieged
in Genoa. Soult led a series of daring raids on the
Austrian lines, until he was shot in the knee and captured. He was robbed, and spent days in agony in
a filthy hospital â an episode that may explain Soultâs later reluctance to lead
from the front. On his return to Paris, Soult received a heroâs
welcome from Napoleon. His rewards included an honorary rank as Colonel-General
in the Consular Guard, plus command of troops assembled at Saint Omer for Napoleonâs planned
invasion of England. Soult, the old drill instructor, imposed strict
discipline and trained his men hard, earning the nickname âbras de ferâ, iron-arm. Even Napoleon wondered if he was being too
severe, to which Soult replied, âThose that canât handle what I myself endure will be
left behind in the depots. Those that can will be fit to conquer the
world.â In 1804 Napoleon proclaimed his new Empire,
and Soult received his Marshalâs baton. The next year his impeccably-drilled troops
became Fourth Corps - the largest corps of the Grande ArmĂ©e â and marched east to
take on the Third Coalition. That December, at Austerlitz, Napoleon entrusted
Soultâs corps with the main attack on the enemy centre. As he issued his final orders to his Marshals,
the Emperor turned to Soult last and said, âAs for you, Soult, I say only - act as
you always do.â Fourth Corpsâ attack was the decisive blow
of the battle, though its success owed much to Soultâs exceptional divisional commanders,
Saint-Hilaire and Vandamme. With victory won, Napoleon acclaimed Soult
âthe foremost manoeuvrer in Europeâ. However, it was observed that Soult was now
less inclined to expose himself to enemy fire, taking a more managerial approach to command
â though his planning, organisation and tactical instinct remained superb. The next year, Soultâs corps played an important
role at the Battle of Jena, and in the pursuit of the defeated Prussian army that followed. In the brutal winter battle at Eylau, his
troops held the centre of the line. Soultâs relationship with Napoleon was excellent,
and the Emperor frequently turned to him for advice - much to Marshal Berthierâs annoyance. In 1808, Soult was ennobled as the Duke of
Dalmatia, and later that year, led a corps in Napoleonâs invasion of Spain. When the Emperor returned to France, he entrusted
the pursuit of the British army to Marshal Soult. The British nicknamed Soult âThe Duke of
Damnationâ, and he harried them through the mountains of Galicia to La Coruña. But in battle, he could not break their lines,
nor prevent their escape by sea. Soult then marched south and occupied Porto,
where rumours began that he was considering crowning himself king of Portugal. Whether the rumours were serious or not, in
May the British and Portuguese took Soult by surprise, and drove him out of Portugal
with heavy loss in men and supplies. This was the most ignominious chapter of Soultâs
mixed record in the Peninsula: five years that saw sparks of brilliance, but also missed
chances, shocking avarice and a reluctance to co-operate with other commanders. Later in 1809, Soult replaced Marshal Jourdan
as King Josephâs chief military advisor, and led French forces to a crushing victory
over the Spanish at Ocaña. He then oversaw the French occupation of southern
Spain. Appointed governor of Andalucia, Soult administered
the region with cold efficiency from his headquarters at Seville, though avoiding harsh measures
where possible. He lived in royal style, and notoriously,
looted Spanish churches on such a scale that he soon amassed one of the great art collections
in Europe, worth an estimated 1.5 million francs. He was increasingly aloof, and even his aides
found him difficult to like. âSoultâs character is hard, and above
all egotisticalâ, one wrote, âHe takes no more than a passing interest in those around
him.â In 1811, with Marshal MassĂ©naâs army stalled
outside Lisbon, Napoleon ordered Soult to give support. Like many of Napoleonâs long-range interventions
in Spain, the objectives were unrealistic, yet Soult marched north with 20,000 men, capturing
Badajoz⊠but withdrew on receiving news of an enemy landing near Barrosa. Two months later, he marched north again to
relieve Badajoz, now besieged by the enemy, and met Beresfordâs larger army en route
at Albuera. Soult launched a flanking attack that threw
the enemy into confusion. But he failed to follow up his advantage,
and left the tactical handling of the battle to others. Nor was he on the spot to inspire his troopsâŠ
and his army suffered a bloody defeat. The next year, Wellingtonâs victory at Salamanca
forced Soult to abandon his palace in Seville, and retreat to Valencia... Though that autumn, he had the satisfaction
of re-occupying Madrid, and pursuing Wellingtonâs army back to the Portuguese frontier. In 1813, Napoleon summoned Soult to Germany,
where he fought at LĂŒtzen, and supervised the main attack at Bautzen. But when news arrived of the calamitous French
defeat at Vitoria, Napoleon sent Soult back to Spain to take charge. Soult inherited a demoralised, disorganised
army. He quickly imposed order, turned it around,
and attacked. It was an impressive feat, but his mostly
young conscripts were up against experienced, well-led troops â two attempts to relieve
the besieged garrison of San Sebastian failed. Soult began a fighting retreat through the
Pyrenees mountains back to France. Despite the limitations of his demoralised
conscripts, he ensured Wellingtonâs army had to fight every step of the way, counter-attacking
whenever possible, and offering resistance till the end, even as Napoleonâs empire
began to collapse. The last battle of the campaign was fought
at Toulouse â a bloody and unnecessary one, as Napoleon had abdicated four days earlier. Under the Bourbon restoration, Soult became
an unpopular Minister of War. Like Marshal Ney, he initially opposed Napoleonâs
return from exile, but saw which way the wind was blowing, and rallied to the Emperor. Napoleon made several dubious appointments
in 1815: one was to pick Soult as his new chief of staff, replacing Marshal Berthier. Not only did this waste Soultâs command
abilities, since his new role was merely to implement Napoleonâs orders; Soult also
inherited a complex staff system of Berthierâs own devising. Crucial errors resulted during the Waterloo
campaign, with orders going astray, and commanders unsure of their role. Soultâs warning not to underestimate Wellingtonâs
army was dismissed by Napoleon: "You think that because Wellington defeated you he must
be a great general. I tell you that he is a bad general, that
the English are bad troops, and this will be over by lunchtime.â Following Napoleonâs defeat, Soult lived
in exile until 1819, then returned to France under a political amnesty. After the July Revolution, he served as a
reforming Minister of War, and three times as President of the Council of Ministers,
effectively Franceâs prime minister. He also became the âgrand old manâ of
the French army, elevated to commander-in-chief, with the exalted rank of âMarshal General
of Franceâ. Soult died aged 82, in the same town where
he was born â known today as Saint-Amans-Soult. Soultâs record as a Marshal was mixed â a
brilliant and intelligent organiser, whose ability to deliver a master-stroke, or inspire
his troops to victory, waned with time. Yet he was one of the few Marshals that Napoleon
could trust with a large, independent command â a quality he needed desperately, but found
in short supply. So far weâve met Marshals PĂ©rignon⊠Brune. SĂ©rurier. Kellermann. Grouchy. Moncey. Poniatowksi. Jourdan. Bernadotte. Augereau. Lefebvre. Mortier. Marmont. Saint-Cyr. Oudinot. Victor. Murat. BessiĂšres. Macdonald. MassĂ©na. Suchet. Ney. And Soult. 3. Marshal Berthier Louis-Alexandre Berthier was born at Versailles,
10 miles from Paris. His mother served at the palace as a chambermaid
to the future Louis the Eighteenth; his father was a colonel in the Topographical Engineers
â a specialist corps of military surveyors. Berthier followed in his fatherâs footsteps,
joining the Topographical Engineers aged just 13, and was commissioned lieutenant at 17. He proved a talented and diligent staff officer. Ten years later he accompanied General Rochambeau
to America, as part of French support to the colonists in their War of Independence...
and witnessed the British defeat at Yorktown. By the time the French Revolutionary Wars
broke out, Berthier was a brigadier general with 25 yearsâ service, whoâd studied
and given much thought to the problems of military organisation and command. A reputation for outstanding staff work meant
his services were in high demand, and he served as Chief of Staff to Rochambeau, Lafayette,
and Luckner. But during âThe Terrorâ, ties to these
politically-suspect generals put Berthier himself under the spotlight. He was stripped of his rank, and not officially
reinstated until 1795, when he became Chief of Staff of the Army of Italy. A Chief of Staff led the staff section, which
was responsible for turning the generalâs orders into action, by drafting written instructions
which were sent out by courier; as well as every aspect of army administration; ensuring
efficient movement and supply; and collating reports on the enemy, terrain, roads and anything
else that might affect operations. Berthier, building on recent trends in French
staff practice, now developed his own comprehensive, staff organisation: He established 3 sections: His personal office or cabinet, mostly skilled
civilian clerks who handled troop movements, transcribed orders, filed reports, and collated
intelligence on enemy forces⊠His private military staff, made up of aides-de-camp,
liaison officers and couriers. And the general staff itself, headed by the
First Assistant Major Général, also divided into three sections: The first dealt with additional troop movements,
plus auxiliary services such as hospitals, military policing, prisoners-of-war and security
of supply lines. The second section organised the armyâs
camps and billets. The third section was the topographical section,
responsible for maps and reconnaissance. The general structure of Berthierâs system
changed little over the next 18 years, and proved uniquely effective at handling the
challenges posed by a new era of European warfare. Its chief beneficiary would be the Army of
Italyâs new commander, Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon also discovered that his chief of
staff possessed immense personal qualities â a heroic capacity for work, meticulous
memory and attention to detail, and devotion to duty and discipline. Crucially, he had a gift for turning Napoleonâs
verbal, sometimes vague commandments into clear, concise, written orders that made sense
to his officers, and later Marshals. Napoleon and Berthier established a highly
effective working relationship that would last until 1814. It relied on Berthierâs complete acceptance
of his subordinate role: he played no part in devising strategy, and never challenged
or contradicted Napoleon except on points of logistical detail. When a friend queried his devotion to Napoleon,
who was an extremely demanding and short-tempered boss, Berthier replied, "Remember that one
day it will be a fine thing to be second to Bonaparte." Berthierâs hard work and brilliant staff
system underpinned all Napoleonâs successes in Italy, and beyond. They spent so much time together, Berthier
was nicknamed âNapoleonâs wife.â He was personally brave too, leading an attack
at Lodi, and a cavalry charge at Rivoli. But his genius was for staff work and administration,
not army command, as he well knew. When he briefly inherited command of the Army
of Italy in 1797, he begged Napoleon to return as soon as possible to take over. Berthier played a crucial role in planning
Napoleonâs Egyptian expedition of 1798, and masterminded his famous crossing of the
Alps in 1800, which saw French troops advance almost 100 miles through the mountains in
just 8 days. The same year, Napoleon made Berthier Minister
of War, putting him in charge of all French military administration. When Napoleon proclaimed his new empire in
1804, Berthier was the first name on the list of new Marshals, with seniority over all others. The next year his role as chief of staff,
or âmajor gĂ©nĂ©ralâ, of the Grande ArmĂ©e was officially confirmed. In the fast-moving campaign of 1805, Berthierâs
system ensured Napoleon always had up to date information about the location and strength
of his own forces... as well as the latest reports on enemy movements from scouts, spies,
and prisoners. Such advantages helped him achieve the stunning
encirclement of Mackâs Austrian army at Ulm. On campaign, Berthier and the Emperor often
travelled together in the imperial coach, working without pause. His workload was immense, but so too were
the rewards. Following the victory at Austerlitz, Napoleon
made Berthier the hereditary, sovereign prince of NeuchĂątel & Valangin, with an enormous
private income. Over the course of Napoleonâs reign, he
received endowments worth more than a million francs per year from the Emperor â more
than any other Marshal. Yet Berthier remained a liability as a field
commander. In 1809, Napoleon put him in temporary command
of the Army of Germany. When Archduke Charles made a bold advance
into Bavaria, Berthierâs response was hesitant and muddled, and nearly led to Marshal Davoutâs
corps being encircled. Only Napoleonâs arrival averted disaster. Returning to his usual role as chief of staff,
Berthier once more proved his exceptional talents, co-ordinating the movement of 200,000
men, and paving the way for the Emperorâs victory at Wagram. The title Prince of Wagram was added to his
honours. The invasion of Russia in 1812 was a test
like no other for Marshal Berthier and his staff. It required co-ordinating the movement of
half a million troops â the biggest army ever seen in Europe - across a 400-mile front. âA simple private is happier than I,â
Berthier complained, âI am being killed by all this work.â By August, it was clear the Grande ArmĂ©eâs
supply lines were at breaking point, and Berthier was among those who tried to persuade Napoleon
to halt the advance at Smolensk. He was ignored. As disaster engulfed the army, Berthier continued
to perform his duty. By the end of the retreat, he was marching
on foot, with frostbitten fingers. When Napoleon left the army to return to Paris
without him, he wept openly. Despite his own poor health in the wake of
the retreat, Berthier worked hard to salvage the remnants of the army, and served throughout
the campaign in Germany in 1813. By now, Napoleonâs enemies had reformed
their own army general staffs, partly inspired by Berthierâs example. But neither Berthier nor his system was perfect: In May, a confusing order to Marshal Ney contributed
to his late arrival at the Battle of Bautzen, and a missed chance to crush the Coalition
army. Berthier was also notorious for his jealousies
and grudges: his pedantic vendetta against Jomini, Neyâs talented chief of staff, drove
him to defect to the Russians. Berthier must also bear some blame for the
disastrous end to the Battle of Leipzig â he knew there werenât enough bridges for the
army to retreat safely, but failed to press the matter with Napoleon. When the only bridge out of the city was blown
too early, 30,000 men became prisoners. Berthier continued to serve Napoleon faithfully,
through the desperate defence of France, until the Emperorâs abdication in April 1814. The restored Bourbon monarchy showered titles
and honours on Berthier â the king even gave him an honorary rank in his own guard. Napoleonâs return from exile 11 months later
put him in an impossible situation â torn both ways by his sense of duty and loyalty. He accompanied the king on his flight to the
Netherlands, but was treated with such suspicion by the royal court, that he left for his wifeâs
family estate in Bavaria. There, a few weeks later, Berthier fell from
a window and was killed. It was most likely a simple accident, though
some believe he killed himself out of guilt or despair, or less plausibly, was murdered
by French royalist agents. Napoleon had expected Berthier to rejoin him
in 1815, and was scathing of his absence, âI have been betrayed by Berthier, who was
just a gosling transformed by me into some kind of eagle.â But after his defeat at Waterloo, in which
mismanaged staff work played an important role, Napoleon conceded, "If Berthier had
been there, I would not have met this misfortune." Berthier had none of Muratâs glamour, nor
Neyâs heroism, nor the tactical instincts of Davout. But he was âthe indispensable Marshalâ,
whose brilliant administration and tireless work were the foundation for so much of Napoleonâs
military success. 2. Marshal Lannes Jean Lannes was a farmerâs son from Gascony,
who quit his job as a dyerâs apprentice to join the local volunteer battalion in 1792. Energetic and charismatic, he was immediately
elected to be an officer by his comrades. The unit was sent to fight the Spanish on
the Eastern Pyrenees front, where Lannes proved a brave and active officer. He distinguished himself in several actions,
and was promoted to command the regiment. Lannes was then transferred to Italy as part
of General Augereauâs division, where his bold, aggressive leadership won praise from
General Masséna, then, at Dego, from General Bonaparte himself, who rewarded Lannes with
command of a grenadier brigade in the armyâs advance guard. A month later at the Battle of Lodi, Colonel
Lannes was first across the river, leaping off the bridge and wading ashore under enemy
fire. At the Battle of Arcole, he was wounded twice,
but when he heard the French were retreating, he left the dressing station to lead a fresh
attack, which probably saved Napoleon from capture or worse. Napoleon later presented the flag heâd waved
at the battle to Lannes, and a special bond was formed between them, based on mutual respect
and loyalty Lannes was promoted to brigadier general,
and in 1798 joined Napoleonâs expedition to Egypt. He played a prominent role in the campaign,
helping to suppress the revolt in Cairo⊠and leading the assaults on Jaffa, and AcreâŠ
where he was shot in the neck, and only saved from certain death by his men, who carried
him back to safety. At the Battle of Aboukir, Lannesâ infantry
worked with Muratâs cavalry to inflict a crushing defeat on the Ottoman army. While recovering from his latest wounds in
this battle, Lannes received painful news from home: his wife had given birth to another
manâs child. He returned to France with Napoleon in October,
and divorced his wife not long after. When Napoleon staged his coup of 18 Brumaire,
Lannes helped to ensure the armyâs loyalty. The next spring, Napoleonâs army marched
over the Alps into Italy. Lannesâ vanguard led the way, and at Montebello,
encountered an Austrian force that outnumbered it two to one. Lannes was able to win a brilliant victory,
thanks to crucial support from General Victor. Just five days later, his division played
a key role in Napoleonâs great victory at Marengo. Lannes never forgot a favour â he and Victor
remained firm friends. But he also never forgot a grudge, was notoriously
short-fused and quick to perceive an insult. In 1800 Lannes remarried to Louise-Antoinette
GuĂ©heneuc, daughter of a Senator, with whom heâd have 5 children. He was also appointed commander of Napoleonâs
Consular Guard. But he was dismissed after General BessiĂšres
helped expose his mismanagement of the budget⊠for which Lannes never forgave him. In semi-disgrace, Lannes was sent as ambassador
to Portugal: a short, eventful spell in which, against expectation, his soldierly manner
won over Portugalâs Prince Regent. By 1804 it was clear that all was forgiven
- Lannes received news that heâd been made a Marshal of the new French empire, and orders
to return to Paris for Napoleonâs coronation. The following year he took command of Fifth
Corps of the Grande Armée, forming the vanguard for the advance against the Austrian army
in Bavaria. Lannes had to work closely with Marshal Murat,
a bitter rival since a falling out in Egypt, but they put their differences aside. Together, they bluffed an Austrian commander
into surrendering a vital Danube bridge, by persuading him that an armistice had been
signed. At one point Lannes even snatched the fuse
from a soldierâs hand, as he prepared to light the explosive charges. The day before the Battle of Austerlitz, Lannesâ
quick temper got the better of him: he demanded to fight a duel with Marshal Soult, who â in
his eyes â had made him look foolish in front of the Emperor. Soult ignored the challenge. In the battle that followed, Lannesâ Fifth
Corps held the left flank against Bagrationâs attacks⊠later pushing forward with the
cavalry to help take 7,000 Russian prisoners. After the battle, Lannes was infuriated that
Soult, and not he, was singled out for praise by the Emperor. Within days, Lannes had resigned his command
and returned to France. In 1806, with tempers cooled, Napoleon summoned
Lannes to rejoin the army for the war with Prussia. Back in command of Fifth Corps, Lannes was
as active, aggressive and brilliant as ever. At Saalfeld, he fought the first major combat
of the war, routing a Prussian division commanded by Prince Louis Ferdinand. Four days later at Jena, Lannes opened the
main French attack at dawn, with General Suchetâs division in the lead. For six hours, his troops were engaged in
furious fighting for the villages on the plateau⊠until finally, the Prussian resistance was
broken. By December, the war had moved into Poland. Lannes attacked a larger Russian force at
PuĆtusk, but it was a bloody, indecisive affair. Wounds and fever then forced him to convalesce
in Warsaw, and so miss the Battle of Eylau. That spring, Lannes resumed command of the
advance guard, as Napoleon sought out Bennigsenâs Russian army, hoping to force a decisive battle. When Bennigsen located Lannesâ apparently-isolated
corps near Friedland, he attacked. He expected an easy victory. But Lannes, with support from future Marshals
Oudinot and Grouchy, expertly used his troops to fend off the Russians, while Napoleon raced
to join him with the main army. Lannesâ delaying tactics allowed Napoleon
to catch the Russian army with its back to the river, and inflict a crushing defeat. The following year Lannes was ennobled as
Duke of Montebello, and joined Napoleon for the invasion of Spain, despite suffering a
serious riding injury en route. Taking command of Marshal Monceyâs Third
Corps, Lannes routed a Spanish army at the Battle of Tudela, sending the enemy fleeing
in two directions. He was then given command of the Siege of
Zaragoza. Spanish soldiers and civilians defended the
city with legendary courage, but Lannesâ leadership and methodical, house-by-house
approach ensured ultimate victory⊠at a high price. Even Lannes was left shaken by the savagery
of the fighting, writing to Napoleon, âSire, this is a horrifying war.â Napoleon recalled Lannes for the war with
Austria in 1809. His Provisional Corps formed the vanguard
for Napoleonâs âFour-Day Campaignâ â a series of quick victories over the Austrians,
that culminated in the Battle of EggmĂŒhl. Napoleon next needed Regensburg taken quickly,
and so as usual, he turned to Lannes. After the first assault wave was mown down,
Lannesâ call for volunteers went unanswered. Furious, he picked up a scaling ladder and
shouted, âIâll show you that before I was a Marshal I was a grenadier, and still
am!â As he rushed forward, his aides grabbed the
ladder from him, reorganised the men, and led a successful attack. After occupying Vienna, Napoleon ordered his
army to cross the Danube, in pursuit of the Austrians. Marshals Lannes and Masséna led the way across
improvised bridges, supported by Marshal BessiĂšres cavalry. It was soon clear that Napoleon had miscalculated,
and that they faced not just an Austrian rearguard, but the full might of Archduke Charlesâs
army. Masséna held the village of Aspern, while
Lannes organised the defence of Essling. But desperately-needed reinforcements and
ammunition were held up, as the Austrians floated obstacles downriver to smash the fragile
bridges. Lannesâ old rival Marshal BessiĂšres was
placed under his temporary command. Lannes sent repeated orders for him to charge
the enemy, in language that verged on an accusation of cowardice, and that evening the two Marshals
nearly came to blows. The next day, Lannesâ corps led an attack
on the Austrian centre, but was driven back by the weight of enemy fire. The French-held villages were under constant,
pulverising bombardment. Around 4pm Lannesâ old friend General Pouzet
was hit by a cannonball and killed in front of him. Lannes, badly shaken, walked off to sit alone
for a moment, when a cannon ball skipped along the ground and smashed both his legs. Lannes was carried to the rear, and placed
in the care of the Grande ArmĂ©eâs most famous surgeon, Baron Larrey. Larrey quickly decided that he must amputate
one leg. The operation went well. But the wound became infected, and Lannes
died nine days later. Napoleon, whoâd visited Lannes every day,
wept at news of his death. âWhat a loss for France, and for meâ. Then he wrote to Lannesâ wife: âThe Marshal has died this morning of the
wounds he received on the field of honour. My pain equals yours. I lost the most distinguished general in my
army, and a companion-in-arms for sixteen years whom I considered my best friend.â Marshal Lannesâ death was a great blow to
Napoleon and the army. He had proved himself an outstanding commanderâŠ
as brave as Ney, with the military mind of Soult⊠the Marshal who led Napoleonâs
vanguard in four of his greatest campaigns. His remarkable, soldiering skills would be
sorely missed by the Emperor in the challenging years that lay ahead. 1. Marshal Davout Louis-Nicolas Davout was born into a noble
family from Burgundy, with a tradition of military service that went back to the Crusades. At 15 he was sent to the Military School in
Paris, just missing a young Napoleon Bonaparte, whoâd graduated a few weeks before. In 1788 Davout was commissioned into the Royal
Champagne Cavalry Regiment, but within a year, his vocal support for the French Revolution
had got him into deep trouble: he was forced to resign his commission and spent 6 weeks
in prison. In 1791 Davout joined a local volunteer battalion,
and was elected its deputy commander. The next year France was at war with Austria
and Prussia, and Davout soon proved himself a brave, highly-organised and energetic officer. He also won praise for attempting to prevent
his commanding officer, General Dumouriez, defecting to the Austrians â though he was
not successful. The incident did speed Davoutâs promotion
to brigadier-general... But the Revolution was now entering its most
extreme phase: a new law barred ex-aristocrats from the army, and Davout had to resign his
commission once more. A year passed before he was reinstated, with
command of a cavalry brigade in the Army of the Moselle. He led a series of daring operations against
the Austrians, winning particular praise from General Desaix, who became a close friend. In 1798, Desaix introduced Davout to his friend
General Bonaparte. Napoleon was not at first impressed âDavout
was aloof, untidy and awkward. Napoleon even described him as a âdamn bruteâ. But he did trust Desaixâs judgement, and
gave Davout a command in his army, bound for Egypt. It was a tough campaign for Davout, who caught
dysentery in Cairo. But he further demonstrated his military skill,
winning a series of skirmishes on Desaixâs expedition into Upper Egypt⊠and later leading
a successful assault on the town of Aboukir. Soon after their return to France, General
Desaix was killed at the Battle of Marengo, robbing Davout of a close friend and patron. However, Napoleon had been won over by Davoutâs
performance in Egypt; he now promoted him General of Division, and appointed him Inspector
General of Cavalry. Napoleon also encouraged Davout to marry Aimée
Leclerc, Pauline Bonaparteâs sister-in-law, bringing Davout within the First Consulâs
extended family. It proved a loving marriage, and great source
of strength to Davout in the years ahead. In 1803 Davout was given command of the Camp
of Bruges, where troops were preparing for the invasion of England. Here he established his reputation as an exceptional
administrator and hard taskmaster, enforcing discipline and regular training, while paying
attention to his soldiersâ welfare, and sacking officers who didnât meet his high
standards. In 1804 Napoleon proclaimed a new French empire,
and Davout, aged 34, became the youngest of its new Marshals. His inclusion was a surprise to many, especially
as heâd still not commanded anything larger than a brigade in battle. Itâs very likely that the deaths of Davoutâs
patron, Desaix, and brother-in-law, Leclerc, cleared a path for him. The next year, Davoutâs troops became Third
Corps of the Grande ArmĂ©e â and marched east to take on the Third Coalition. On the eve of the Battle of Austerlitz, Davout
force-marched his corps 70 miles in 2 days, arriving at dawn on Napoleonâs right flank. His troops went straight into action, holding
off a powerful Coalition attack⊠buying time for Napoleonâs decisive move against
the enemy centre. It was a remarkable performance by Third CorpsâŠ.
soon eclipsed by an even greater feat of arms the next year, in the war against Prussia. As Napoleon concentrated his forces at Jena,
to attack what he believed was the main Prussian army.. he ordered Davoutâs Third Corps and
Bernadotteâs First Corps to cut off their retreat. But 10 miles north of Napoleon, near Auerstedt,
Davout ran straight into the main Prussian army. With no sign of support from Marshal Bernadotteâs
First Corps, Davoutâs 26,000 men faced odds of more than two-to-one. Davoutâs masterful handling of his troops
enabled Third Corps to repel the Prussian onslaught. Then, his line stabilised, Davout went on
the offensive... and routed the enemy army. It was a stunning victory, won at a high price
â one in four of Davoutâs men were either killed or wounded. When Napoleon heard the first report, he was
incredulous. âYour Marshal must have been seeing double!â,
he told his aide-de-camp, making a joke of Davoutâs spectacle-wearing. When the report was confirmed, he sent a message
back to Davout: âTell the Marshal that he, his generals and his troops have gained everlasting
claims on my gratitude.â He later gave Third Corps the honour of being
the first troops to enter Berlin. The next year at Eylau, Davoutâs corps again
played a pivotal role, trying to turn the Russian flank. When his men were driven back, Davout rallied
them, shouting, âThe cowards will die in Siberia, the brave will die on the field of
honour!â This time Third Corps could not break through,
but its tenacity helped persuade the Russians to retreat that night. Following the peace treaty of Tilsit, Davout
became governor-general of the new Duchy of Warsaw, where he oversaw the recruitment and
training of Polish troops. In 1808 he was ennobled as Duke of Auerstedt. But for all his military prowess, Davout was
not a popular figure. Notoriously tough, his troops respected rather
than loved him, while several Marshals were irritated by his air of superiority and blunt
manner. In 1809, with war looming with Austria, Davout
rejoined Third Corps at Regensburg. When Archduke Charles advanced into Bavaria,
the armyâs temporary commander - Marshal Berthier â nearly left Davout to be cut
off. As soon as Napoleon arrived, he ordered Davout
to withdraw. It was almost too late. But with immense skill, Davout and Third Corps
were able to fight their way clear, and rejoin the army. Davout played a major part in the counter-offensive
that followed, known as the âFour-Day Campaignâ, pinning Austrian forces at EggmĂŒhl⊠until
Napoleon arrived to deliver the decisive blow. A month later at the Battle of Aspern, Davout
and Third Corps never made it across the river. The Marshalâs role was limited to trying
to sort out the crisis at the bridges â until the French were forced to withdraw. When the army crossed the Danube again six
weeks later, Davout was in his usual post on the right wing. On the first day of the Battle of Wagram,
the Emperor criticised Davout for his slow attack. But the âIron Marshalâ, as he was now
known, was saving his men for what he knew lay ahead. The next day Davoutâs troops fought off
a major Austrian dawn assault⊠then launched their own attack, gradually driving in the
enemy left flank⊠helping to make Austrian retreat inevitable. Davout and his corps had emerged from another
major campaign as heroes. A grateful Napoleon bestowed on him a new
title, Prince of EggmĂŒhl. For a few years there was peace in central
Europe: Davout spent most of it in Hamburg in his new role as Governor-General of the
Hanseatic Cities, cracking down on corruption and illegal trade with Britain. In 1812, Napoleon entrusted him with the enormous
task of organising the Grande ArmĂ©e for the invasion of Russia. Davoutâs First Corps alone was 72,000 strong,
as big as Napoleonâs entire army at Austerlitz. When it crossed the Niemen River in June,
its troops were so well turned out, that one observer compared them to the Imperial Guard
itself. Davoutâs giant corps was the spear-tip of
Napoleonâs invasion. He mauled Bagrationâs Second Army at Saltanovka,
but could not prevent its escape. Three weeks later, his troops were in the
thick of the fighting at Smolensk. But Davoutâs lack of allies among the other
Marshals began to show. Many were keen to see him taken down a peg
or two, including Napoleonâs chief of staff, Marshal Berthier â and perhaps even the
Emperor himself. When Davout got into a row with Marshal Murat,
whom he regarded as incompetent, Napoleon decided in Muratâs favour, giving him one
of Davoutâs divisions. On the eve of the Battle of Borodino, the
Emperor dismissed Davoutâs request to outflank the Russian defences. "You are always for turning the enemy,â
he told him, âIt is too dangerous a movement." In the bloody battle that followed, Davoutâs
corps led the frontal attack on the Fléches earthworks. The Marshal himself was injured when his dying
horse rolled over him, but remained on the field, directing the attack⊠which was,
ultimately, successful. Six weeks later, the Grande Armée began its
infamous retreat from Moscow. The remains of Davoutâs corps were ordered
to form the rearguard. But he was criticised for moving too slowly. Near Vyazma a gap opened up, and Russian General
Miloradovich pounced â First Corps was routed, and saved only by the quick intervention of
Marshal Ney, EugĂšne and Poniatowski. Neyâs corps took over as rearguard, but
when he became cut off at Krasny, Davout was widely blamed for not turning back to rescue
him, even though it wouldâve been suicidal. The moment highlighted the gulf in charisma
between a Marshal like Ney, who was loved by the troops, and Davout, who was not. Davout began the 1813 campaign holding Dresden,
but when Hamburg was raided by Russian Cossacks, Napoleon sent him north to organise the cityâs
defence. Exactly why Napoleon kept his best Marshal
in Hamburg while a decisive campaign raged in Saxony continues to puzzle historians. Davout was a stern and effective governor
of Hamburg, securing the Lower Elbe River, and Napoleonâs strategic northern flank. He organised a new Thirteenth Corps, and â following
Napoleonâs defeat at Leipzig - withstood a six-month siege. Davout only surrendered Hamburg in May 1814,
after confirmation arrived of Napoleonâs abdication. But what difference the âIron Marshalâ
might have made at Bautzen, Dennewitz, Leipzig or Laon, remains a tantalising âwhat-ifâ. Davout was not welcomed into the restored
Bourbon regime like other Marshals â his loyalty to Napoleon was despised by the ultra-royalists. Instead he was forced into retirement and
put under police surveillance. When Napoleon returned to France in 1815,
Davout and Lefebvre were the only Marshals waiting to greet him at the Tuileries Palace. But once again, Napoleon gave Davout a role
which - in hindsight - seems a disastrous waste of his ability. Davout was made Minister of War and governor
of Paris: vital roles, requiring a brilliant and loyal administrator. And Davout worked miracles to raise a new
army for Napoleonâs final campaign. But if Davout, not Grouchy, had commanded
the Emperorâs right wing in 1815⊠who knows what might have been. Following the Emperorâs defeat at Waterloo,
Davout organised the defence of Paris, and urged Napoleon to fight on. Later accepting that he must abdicate, Davout
ensured Napoleonâs safe passage to the coast, and submitted to the Bourbons. The royalists had promised Davout that his
officers would not be prosecuted for their conduct. He was furious to discover these assurances
would not be honoured. He also testified on behalf of Marshal Ney
â but could not save him from a firing squad. Davout was stripped of his rank and income,
though they were restored two years later, thanks to the intercession of Marshal Macdonald. Davout shunned court, as he always had. His health was failing, and in 1821, the death
of his eldest daughter left him grief-stricken. He died two years later of tuberculosis, aged
53. Davout, the youngest and least proven of Napoleonâs
Marshals, proved the most capable of all. Cool under fire and a brilliant tactician,
he was the ideal corps commander in battle. A superb administrator, he was a stern and
loyal deputy for the Emperor in Poland and Germany. His main weakness was his severe and blunt
manner which won few friends, and left some even wishing to see him fail⊠not something
they saw from the âIron Marshalâ very often. So concludes our ranking of Napoleonâs Marshals... 26 dramatic lives that reflect a tumultuous
age⊠Products of a military meritocracy, forged
in the French Revolution⊠Skills honed by two decades of war⊠Their fates entwined in the rise and fall
of empires. History may never see such an extraordinary,
diverse and colourful collection of military commanders again. Thank you to all the Patreon supporters who
have made this series possible. Visit our Patreon page to find out how you
can support the channel, get ad-free early access and help to choose future topics.
So many French lost their lives in the 1790s, for this.
Murat is number one in my heart